By Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that though activities of members of the so-called Modu Sheriff faction of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had shown them as “spoilers”, they should be tolerated and accommodated by the leadership and members of the party.
Specifically, Okowa urged the members the PDP in Delta State not to hold the divisive sins against members of the Sheriff faction but instead should be treated as “our brothers and sisters” in order to make them more active, look into their grievances and reintegrate then fully into the party.
He noted that unity and understanding remained the strength of the party and appealed to the members to avoid “politics of bitterness and division.”
Okowa made the remarks at a Delta North PDP Stakeholders Forum held at Obiaruku, the administrative headquarters of Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, on Friday.
The governor pointed out those factional members could not be labelled as “members of true PDP” were the existence of the much-talk-about faction in PDP to hold any water.
He hinted that practically all the leaders and elected members of the PDP across the country belong to the Ahmed Markafi-led PDP caretaker committee.
According to Okowa, “People are talking about faction in PDP; if there is faction, can members of the faction be called members of true PDP? PDP Senators, members of House of Representatives, all the governors and former governors are supporting Alhaji Ahmed Markafi as recognised Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP.
“Members of the Sherif group are just playing the role of spoilers, but, don’t throw them away, provide enabling environment for them to be active in our party because, they are our brothers and sisters.”
While thanking the Chairman of the PDP in Delta North, Mr. Moses Iduh, for convening regular meetings of the party, the governor said that chairmen of the party at the local government level should hold monthly meetings regularly, “which is compulsory for all political office holders to attend.”
Okowa said, “The party is for everybody; nobody is above the party and there is no room for pride; the unity of all members is the strength of our great party.
However, he cautioned political office holders against disparaging the government, saying that those who nursed political ambitions should not overheat the polity but work more on selling themselves to the electorate through acceptable democratic means.
He told the gathering, which was attended by political office holders and elders of the party in the district, that his administration would not encourage imposition of candidates on the people but would abide by democratic norms.
The attendance list of the Obiaruku meeting included Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, Hon Nicholas Ossai of the House of Representatives, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, as well as party chairmen in all the local government areas in Delta North senatorial zone.
