Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who represents Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly has been suspended for one month for anti-party activities by the State Working Committee (SWC) of the Delta State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza said the suspend Nwaoboshi was taken at an emergency meeting of the SWC held on Wednesday.
Nwaoboshi had said few days ago when he visited Chief Adizue Eluaka at his Asaba residence that two former governors of the state, Chief James Ibori and Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan performed better than the incumbent governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.
He was quoted during the visit saying: “I am a PDP Senator but I have to tell you the truth, Urhobo and Itsekiri Governors performed credibly better than our own Anioma Governor.
“What can you say that our Anioma Governor has done for Asaba people to show that he loves Asaba more than the Delta Central people? Don’t allow selfish people to bring division between us and Delta Central people.
“I challenge anyone to a debate that Uduaghan loves Asaba more than our Anioma Governor anytime and anywhere. His legacy in Asaba speaks volumes. It’s the turn of Delta Central to produce the next Governor of Delta State.”
The open attack on Governor Okowa by Nwaoboshi was however not taken lightly by the leadership of PDP in the state, who two days later described the outburst of the Delta senator as that of an ingrate.
Going further the party in its statement suspending the senator for a period of one month said, “This action has become necessary against the backdrop of the recent romance with an opposition Party, verbal recklessness, and unprovoked utterances of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, particularly against the person of His Excellency, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the Executive Governor of Delta State, which the PDP State Working Committee views strongly as totally unacceptable, disturbing and unbecoming of a politician and party member of his stature.
“The PDP State Working Committee is in no doubt that the rash, unguarded, confused and heavily noxious, and vitriolic attacks by Senator Nwaoboshi, a serving Senator and a very recent Chairman of our great Party, are potentially inimical to the peace and harmony of the Party and tantamount to causing discord and disaffection among loyal Party members.
“The suspension, therefore, though obligatory, has sadly become imperative and inevitable, especially given the dramatic spontaneity and overzealousness of his verbal attacks, which are totally out of character and may have suspiciously been induced by circumstances that defy immediate rational analysis and comprehension.
“The matter has been referred to the State Disciplinary Committee, in order to afford Senator Nwaoboshi a fair hearing and the opportunity to appear before it and defend himself over his recent utterances and actions against the Party and its leadership, in the State.
“We urge all Party faithful to remain calm in the face of these provocations and maintain the peace, maturity, and Party harmony which have been and will continue to remain the hallmarks of our great Party.”
Meanwhile, there has been this wide speculation before now that Senator Nwaoboshi has actually left the PDP but, was only waiting for a date for an elaborate reception of his defection along with his followers to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A source who does not his name mentioned in print told NewsNet that one of the pointers to Nwaoboshi leaving the PDP soon, was Friday’s dismissal of the fraud and money laundering charges against Nwaoboshi, by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, who said the EFCC failed to prove the elements of the offences for which it charged the lawmaker.
The source said the outcome of the court judgment may not be unconnected to the alliance of Nwaoboshi with the APC in recent times to free himself from the hook of the EFCC and have the party’s ticket to run for the senate position of Delta North come 2023; since it is being alleged that Okowa wants to return to the senate when he exits as governor.
Nwaoboshi is also alleged to be working out an alliance with Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege for him to be Omo-Agege’s running mate from Delta North in the 2023 governorship race in the state.
