Delta State campaign council management committee, CMC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that the absence of two former governors of the state, Chief James Ibori and Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, from the campaign council inauguration on Thursday, does not connote division in the party structure for the 2023 general elections in the state.
Assistant Deputy Director, Media and Publicity of the state campaign management committee, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, in a statement on Friday, and made available to newsmen in Asaba, said Ibori and Uduaghan commands the respect of the entire party structures in the state, and were duly and respectfully invited to the inauguration ceremony and their names were duly published in the national dailies as key members of the campaign council.
He further asserted that the absence of the two former governors, as well as Olorogun David Edevbie, Senator James Manager and other party men and women who for one personal reason or the other could not make it to the ceremony, does not imply that these leaders of our great party deliberately disassociated themselves from our amiable governorship candidate or the party state campaign council.
The party campaign management committee further assured party faithfuls and the good people of Delta State, that no stone shall be left unturned to address all emotional discomforts trigged by the unfortunate internal legal battles which dragged on to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and that the healing process is ongoing and may take a little time for total reunion.
“We have noticed that the social media is trending the absence of our former governors and leaders; Chief James Ibori, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Senator James Manager, as well as former governorship aspirant, Olorogun David Edevbie, and others who could not make it to the inauguration ceremony of the state campaign council on Thursday.
“Our former governors and those mentioned in the news report were duly and respectfully invited to the inauguration ceremony presided over by the State Party Chairman, Olorogun Kingsley Esiso Esq.
“The campaign council is not in a position to immediately ascertain the immediate and remote causes of their absence. We are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that their absence does not connote division in Delta PDP.
“The avoidable legal battles which occurred after governorship primary and which lingered on until our amiable governorship candidate, Rt Hon Oborevwori Sheriff Francis Orohwedor, got resounding victory at the Supreme Court, had obviously fractured nerves politically, and caused inestimable emotional distress which is bound to heal gradually as we navigate into a full blown electioneering campaigns across the state.
“We urge our party men and women, teeming supporters and Deltans not to panic over the absence of our former governors because the reunion process is ongoing and all shall be well very soon.
“Be rest assured that all PDP candidates from top to bottom shall spring pleasant surprises at the polls in 2023, by the grace of God,” the statement added.
