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Okowa, Igbuya Threaten Opposition Assembly Members To Join PDP Or Forfeit Constituency Projects Funds

February 2, 2016

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and the speaker of the State Legislature, Monday Igbuya have allegedly threatened the opposition members of the State House of Assembly to formally defect to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or have their 2016 constituency projects funds forfeited.

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and the speaker of the State Legislature, Monday Igbuya have allegedly threatened the opposition members of the State House of  Assembly to formally defect to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or have their 2016 constituency projects funds forfeited.

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Confiding in SaharaReporters, one of the PDP lawmakers in the House confirmed the allegations.

According to the lawmaker, the process began with the planned defection to the PDP by two Labour Party (LP) members in the Assembly, Peter Okagbare Uviejitobor and Ochuko Evance Ivwurie, representing Udu and Ethiope East constituency respectively.

"The two LP members intended to defect earlier, but were advised to wait until after the Supreme Court verdict on the Delta State governorship election appeal which is before the court.

“The same scenario that played out after 2011 elections is going to play out again in Delta State.

It will be recalled, that in 2011 10 members of State House of Assembly and National Assembly lawmakers elected on the platform of defunct Democratic Peoples Party, (DPP) led by Great Ogboru, the Party’s governorship candidate, dumped the Party and defected to the PDP and APC when Mr. Ogboru was still pursuing his case at the Appeal Court," the lawmaker explained.

An anonymous aide to one of the LP lawmakers confirmed the defection plan. The source stated that the two LP members are awaiting the outcome of the LP governorship election appeal currently before the Supreme Court.

"With the weak structure of the LP in the State and at the national level remaining in the Party would amount to disservice to their constituents as they will be denied what is due to them.  

“This especially true given the fact that they have been told to either decamp or face defunding of their constituency funds.

The anonymous aide went on to note that his boss would prefer to remain in the LP, but that the political circumstances have made that an impossibility.

Any attempts to reach Mr. Ivwurie and Mr. Uviejitobor failed as calls and SMS messages to their mobile phones were not answered at the time of filing this report.