Following the last week Court of Appeal shocking victory of Ali Modu Sherrif as the authentic national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), HardReporters can authoritatively report that the Delta State Governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa, is said to be having series of sleepless nights as a result, hurriedly called for an enlarged emergence stakeholders meeting of the Mr. Makarfi’s faction from across the twenty five council areas of the state.
The enlarged stakeholders meeting held weekend at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had in attendance Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, his deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, SSG, Festus Ovie Agas, commissioners, members of the national Assembly, PDP BoT member, Delta State house of Assembly speaker and his deputy, members.
Others were local government council chairmen and vice chairmen, all senior special advisers and special advisers, all former ministers, commissioners, federal and state board chairmen and members, all appointed members of the party, executive assistant, project directors, board chairmen and members, SSA’s, SA’s and PA’s (to the governor), Chief of staff and deputy chief of staff among others.
Okowa who looks worried, however consoled the party members and leaders with some sweet words of encouragement, assuring that the apex court shall upturn the Court of Appeal judgement declaring Sherrif as the authentic national chairman of PDP and urged members of the party to have respect and support the party structure.
Governor Okowa stated that all the congresses from the Ward to zonal levels were not in dispute, except the national convention of the party which took place in Port Harcourt in 2016.
“Because, we are committed to the PDP, we will not get it wrong, all the elections from the Ward to the Zonal levels are accepted, the problem we have in PDP is the convention we had in Port Harcourt which some people are challenging, but, it is our hope that we will get fair hearing at the Supreme Court because, they will be setting precedence,” Governor Okowa said.
While calling on all political office holders to support and sustain the party in their localities, Okowa said “I want to charge all party members to respect leaders of the party at all levels; party members, especially political office holders should support the party at the wards and local government areas, give recognition to the fact that the position that you occupy somewhere means that you must give back to the party and the people, always help your constituents support the party to move forward.”
The governor used the occasion to threatened political office holders in the state with sack should any appointee refused to assist members and warned that political office holders should not use their positions to destroy the party others have built adding that “By May 29 this year when the administration has clocked two years, every political appointee must go back to his or her local government area to bring his scorecard in other to retain his appointment.”
Okowa, called for prayers for President Mohammadu Buhari and charged all and sundry to wish the president well not the other way round. “I want to wish the President speedy recovery and quick return to Nigeria. Let nobody wish him otherwise as life and death is in the hands of God, we will continue to pray for his quick recovery,” Okowa said.
