The People’s Democratic Party (P.D.P) has suffered a huge blow following the move of the former National Vice Chairman (South – South) of the party, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and his army of supporters in Delta State, under the Amodu Sherriff faction to pitch tents with the APC, in an event that has been termed the mother of all defections in Delta State.
The atmosphere was charged at Royal Court Yard Hotel Agbor-Obi, Ika South on Saturday 16th September as it witnessed a huge turnout of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh loyalists who joined him in dumping their P.D.P membership cards in the waste bin, and chanting the slogan “Chase Okowa out”. The event was well attended by the big wigs of Delta State APC, including, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, Minster of Petroleum (State) Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Hon. Hilliard Eta ( Ntufan), National Vice Chairman South-South, Mr. Jones Erhue, State Chairman and other state executive.
Dr. Ojugboh speaking said, his decision to swap parties is due to the family government, being run by the governor of Delta State governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, and the decision of the Party at the national level to grant amnesty to them (Sheriff faction) rather than open the party to all, saying that they are not criminals to be granted amnesty. He also revealed that the high level of impunity and corruption in the Party informed their decision.
Coming down to Delta State Government, he said, if after two and a half years of being in office there is no change even amongst the people working with Governor Okowa, then nothing will change in the coming year, and the next four years would be a disaster, should the same government be returned to office come 2019. Going further, he said after considering all these, they arrived at the decision to look for fellow progressives, people of like minds, saying that only the corrupt minded people will remain in P.D.P.
Also speaking, the APC South – South Chairman, Dr. Hilliard Eta welcoming Dr. Ojougboh and his supporters said, “The name Dr. Cairo Ojugboh is synonymous with politics in Nigeria. Before Cairo Ojougboh joined us, Delta State was seen and is still seen by the National Executive committee of the party as a low hanging fruit for the APC, his joining us has even brought the fruit lower, so the only thing we need to do is to go and pick the fruit”. He further said that “Our mission to remove Okowa has joined us together”.
SEE ALSO http://ikaweekly.com/politics-stop-leading-delta-state-to-ruin-ojougboh-tells-okowa/
Reacting to the development, General Nick Aigbogun (rtd), APC Chieftain in Ika South said the full block of Sheriff’s faction in P.D.P Delta State has moved to the APC, under the leadership of Olorogun, Otega Emehor, hence they have been integrated into the mainstream Delta APC. He described it as a welcome development, saying that Politics is a game of number and having such amount of persons estimated to be in their thousands joining us is massive, especially as they are just ward officials, not all the members.
In the same vein, the APC Chairman Ika South and the chief host, Hon. Edwin Okoh also welcomed the development, saying that he is happy especially as it is in his time as the party Chairman that such an event is happening, describing it as a grand occasion. He said there is no limit to the number of persons a political party can take, so the indication of interest of the Sheriff P.D.P faction to join the APC, especially in Ika South is a welcome development, because it will increase their numerical strength and their membership will automatically increase. He said the move shows that the party at the local government level has been doing fine, hence their decision to choose APC over all other parties.
High points of the event were the shredding and dumping of P.D.P membership cards in the waste bin, and the grand hosting of the State A.P.C leader, Olorogun Otega Emerhor and other dignitaries at the country home of Gen. Nick Aigbogun (rtd) at Agbor – Alizomor.
Some other dignitaries in attendance were Barr. Felix Morka, Chief S.W Anumele, Comr. Godwin Okpor, Chief Barr. Obuseh, Prof. L.F.O Obika, all L.G.A Officers, all ward Chairmen in Ika South, and many others.