Again, Political Crisis Engulfs Aniocha North As Sack Of PDP Chairman Earns Assembly Member, Nwaobi, Others Suspension

* PDP Renounces Vote Of Confidence Passed On Okowa, Party Leaders

Another round of fresh political crisis has engulfed the Aniocha North local government area of Delta state as the removal of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), chairman in the council, Mr. Victor Egbune, has earned the house of Assembly member representing the constituency, Mr. Emeka Nwaobi and five others an indefinite suspension from the party.

Others slammed with suspension following what has been described as anti-party activities, spearheaded by the lawmaker, Nwaobi, were Mr. Julius Ego, Aniocha North PDP, Secretary, Mr. KC Ogbolue, Auditor, Mrs Dorathy Udeh, Woman leader, Mr. Ejike Ogbechie, Ex-Officio and Mr. Patrick Nwaoba, Ex-Officio, used by the lawmaker to carry out the controversial removal of the party’s chairman which is currently generating mixed reactions in the state.

HardReporters reliably gathered that the local government PDP disciplinary committee, chaired by Mr. Odum Andrew, Mr. Anslem Odiakaose, secretary, Mr. Uwagwu Ike, Mr. Kingslay Azu, Pat Onochie, Mrs Maido and Ike Okonkwor will be summoning the suspended party members for possible trial.

In a dramatic twist, barely 24 hours this week after an enlarged meeting of the Aniocha North PDP had passed a vote of confidence on the party chairman, Mr. Victor Egbune, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, State Party, chairman, Mr. Kingsley Esiso and Delta North chairman, Mr.Moses Iduh, with claims that there was no political crisis in the local government, the Aniocha North (PDP), chairman, Victor Egbune, was sacked from office by the party executive over alleged misappropriation of party funds, anti-party activities, misconduct and incompetence, amongst other shortcomings.

The local government party executive in what suggested to be renouncing of their earlier vote of confidence passed on governor Okowa, the state PDP chairman, Mr. Esiso and others, passed a fresh vote of no confidence on the embattled party chairman.

In a vote of no confidence letter signed by
Mr. Egoh Julius, PDP Secretary; Mrs. Dorothy Udeh, Women Leader;, Mr. Bunor Nwechi, Asst. Pub. Sec; Mr. K.C. Ogbelue, Auditor; Mr. Nmakwe O.C., Org. Sec. Mr. Patrick Nwaoba, Ex Officio; Madam Felicia Orakwe, Ex Officio; Uche Mukolu, Ex Officio; Evlyn Monye, Ex Officio; and Ejike Ugbechie, Ex Officio, addressed to the state PDP chairman, Mr. Kingsley Esiso, announced the formal sacking of Mr. Egbune as the local government area chairman of the party.

“We the under listed members of People’s Democratic Party Aniocha North Chapter wish to express with dismay our dissatisfaction with the conduct of our party Chairman. It is our belief that with the enormous task ahead of us, it has become imperative to cleanse the system of any bad element that would cause us failure in our forthcoming elections.

“In the light of the above facts, we the undersigned members of the Local Government Executive hereby unanimously pass a ‘Vote Of No Confidence’ on Prince Victor Egbune, the local government area chairman for incompetence and misconduct as stated below: Misappropriation of party funds, Factionalising the party, Inability to call regular meetings, Co-ordinating an aspirant.

“With this vote of no confidence, Prince Victor Egbune ceases to be our Chairman, we therefore request you sir to authorize the Deputy Chairman, Mr. Aggrey Abia to function in acting capacity pending when the Chairman is formally replaced. We thank you in anticipation of your accelerated response.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta State has insisted that Mr. Egbune remains the Aniocha North chairman of the party, saying the state leadership of the party viewed with “disgust and palpable apprehension the fake news making the rounds to the effect that, the Chairman of our Aniocha North Chapter, Prince Victor Egbune has been removed.”

In a statement entitled “Prince Victor Egbune Is Still Chairman PDP Aniocha North LGA” signed by the state PDP publicity secretary, Mr. Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza and made available to newsmen, read thus:

“For the benefit of the unsuspecting public, we wish to make it abundantly clear that non of our twenty-five chapters has intractable issues. The said fake news is baseless, unfounded, tendentious, malicious and deliberately calculated to mislead the general public and should be disregarded in its entirety.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to reiterate that, Prince Victor Egbune is still the Chairman of PDP Aniocha North and we have implicit confidence in his leadership. Furthermore, we hereby warn all the renegades who are behind this fake news and their sponsors to desist forthwith from this divisive tendencies.” the statement said.