The Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State has inaugurated a parallel state executive to pilot its affairs.

Earlier in the year, a state congress produced Barr. Kingsley Esiso as chairman of the party along with other members of the executive.

The congress was midwifed by the state governor, Dr. Ifeany Okowa, who has been one of the power brokers behind the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the party.

Those sworn-in include the party chairmen across the 25 local government areas and the Deputy State chairmen in the three senatorial districts of the state.

Senator Sheriff, who was represented at the ceremony by his Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, at Agbor, the hometown of Governor Okowa, in Ika South council area of the state, noted that with the inauguration, the mountain of crisis in the party has been removed.

While Ojougboh said Sheriff’s interest in PDP remains paramount at the national, state and local government levels, he urged the LGA executives to ensure that the party remain united in the state in order to retain power in 2019, insisting that there was no faction within the party’s leadership.

The factional state chairman, Chief Austin Ogbaburhon, flanked by his new deputies in Delta South, Delta North and Delta Central Senatorial districts of the state, maintained that his group represents the true face of the party in Nigeria.

He said although, the road ahead looks very difficult, joy would come with the dawn, maintaining that his national chairman means well for the party.

“Today is a great day in the history of the PDP in Delta State as we inaugurate the local government areas party officials. Before now, we have no party leaders across the state but from today, our leaders will emerge.

“Last week, I Hon. Austin Ogbaburhon, was sworn-in in Abuja as the authentic state chairman of PDP in Delta state. What we have done here today is within the ambit of the party constitution. The newly inaugurated party chairmen in the 25 local governments will in-turn go to their council areas to swear in their ward party officials.”

Reacting to the development, the PDP Esiso led executive Publicity Secretary, Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza toldIndependent, “This is not the time for political opportunism, greed, selfishness, blatant brigandry and impunity.

“This is time for seeking lasting and honest peace; time to rebuild our party. It is very unreasonable for Cairo Ojugboh and his co-travellers to continually entrench discord, the doctrine of ‘reasonableness,’ would recommend that it is not reasonable to attach so much weight to their claim of a new party structure in Delta State, especially when the circumstances of such could be regarded as lacking procedurally in integrity.”

According to him, “For the avoidance of doubt, the ONLY legitimate PDP Delta State Executive is that headed by the indefatigable Olorogun (Barr.) Kingsley Esiso. Any other group parading itself as PDP executive, is a mere impostor and at best a gathering of people who are high with an overdose of some very cheap substances.” (Independent)

•Photo shows Modu-Sheriff.

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