Chairman of Isoko South PDP, Godspower Obaro, a loyalist of Askia Ogieh, Managing Director, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, and PDP aspirant for Isoko Federal Constituency in the 2023 general elections, had allegedly doctored wards ad-hoc delegates list to favour his principal.
Ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries to choose its candidates for the forthcoming 2023 general elections, the party is said to have been torn apart following the alleged hijacking and doctoring of the ad-hoc delegates list by some party officials and local government chairmen of the party across the state.
Chairman of Isoko South PDP, Godspower Obaro, a loyalist of Askia Ogieh, Managing Director, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, and PDP aspirant for Isoko Federal Constituency in the 2023 general elections, had allegedly doctored wards ad-hoc delegates list to favour his principal.
He was also alleged to have torn a list from the Enwhe Ward 09 not favourable to his principal.
Also, at Isoko North Local Government Area of the state, the party chairman, Godwin Ogorugba, was alleged to have forced the names of his loyalists on party leaders and ward chairpersons as the delegates.
This, SaharaReporters learnt, was done against the collective list.
Lamenting the attitude of the Isoko North local government party chairman, a ward chairman who spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of being sanctioned, alleged that "Ogorugba is working for the House of Representatives candidate and the state commissioner for power, Jonathan Ukodhiko”.
“Because Ukodhiko bought him a car and a house in Asaba and built another house for him, he has vowed to force on us his loyalists across the wards in the local government as ad-hoc delegates whether we like it or not.
"He gave three names of his loyalists in each ward in the local government as ad-hoc delegates. Some of us battled him seriously. In some wards, he succeeded 100 percent while in some wards, he succeeded with 40, 50 and 60 percent as the case may be.
“Ogorugba has continued to ignore and abuse party leaders with his actions. He unilaterally takes decisions in the party without any atom of respect for party leaders in the local government. Ogorugba is operating the party as his personal busy and like a sole administrator."
The story is the same in Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Bomadi, Oshimili South, Oshimili North, Ndokwa West, Ndokwa East, Ethiope East and basically other local government areas of the state.
Speaking with our correspondent, a member of the state executive of the party, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said some members of the state executive of the party led by the chairman, Kingsley Esiso were allegedly supporting the actions of the local government party chairmen in hijacking and doctoring the ad-hoc delegates list.
He lamented that this was going on despite warnings and directives given by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa that leaders, ward chairmen and local government chairmen should work together to produce the ad-hoc delegates list.
"The state party executive is rejecting petitions from some quarters challenging and complaining about the way and manner the local government party chairmen are hijacking and doctoring the ad-hoc delegates list in their own favour and in favour of their preferred candidates in the 2023 general elections.
“Especially the state organising secretary of the party, Sunday Onoriode, has rejected several petitions against some of the local government party chairmen hijacking and doctoring the ad-hoc delegates list," one of the sources said.
When contacted for comments on the issue, the state PDP publicity secretary, Ifeanyi Osuoza, did not answer calls on his mobile phone and had not replied to messages sent to him at the time of filing this report.