How Esiso, Okowa’s aide, emerged chairman of PDP in Delta

For Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday’s state congress was as smooth and hitch-free as the previous ward and local government congresses.

Though some dissenting and minority voices had alleged as in the ward and local government congresses, that the congress was a sham, it has generally been peaceful and devoid of the fracas, crisis and controversy that has trailed the congresses in some states of the federation.

The state chairman of the party, Chief Edwin Uzor confirmed this much when he told The Guardian that the party did not encounter any problem in the state because the congress was properly organized.

However, it was gathered that the party members had reached consensus prior to the congresses and that they merely showed up to formalized what had been agreed upon.

Similarly, the chairman of PDP South South, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh confirmed that it was peaceful with all stakeholders carried along.

“What happened was that there has been a lot of agreements, it’s consensus and negotiated congress, all the persons agreed to step down and to step up and it was very well done. There is no crisis in Delta state, it was give and take, everybody sat down ward to ward, local government to local government and everything was agreed upon before we went public. Everybody is happy there are no dissenting voices.

And this has played out in yesterday’s state congress particularly as it affected the chairmanship.

The office of the state chairman of the party was zoned to Delta Central senatorial district made up of the Urhobo-speaking local government areas of the state.
Several persons including, Chief Kingsley Esiso, Chief Tom Amioku, Arthur Akpowowo, Ebenezer Okorodudu, Andy Asawota showed interest.

However it was learnt that they were prevailed upon to drop their ambition “after it was generally accepted by all” that Esiso should be the next chairman of the party in the state.

Esiso, a legal practitioner, is currently the Special Adviser to the state governor on Library Matters.

Esiso had been accused, early last month, of usurping the slot meant for Ethiope East local government area of the State, having sought the chairmanship of the party in the state from Ethiope East as against Sapele local government area where he has all along stayed and played politics.

In particular, Ethiope East chapter of Delta Central PDP Youth Movement claimed that Esiso’s assertion that he was from Okpara community in Ethiope East as the basis for his ambition was suspicious and spurious.

According to the President of the Movement, Mr. Philip Omoniorho, Esiso should pursue his ambition from Sapele as he was not known in Okpara community and was not a card carrying member of PDP in anywhere in Ethiope East.

“We are not against Esiso’s ambition but he should go to Sapele Local Government Area where he served as the party secretary and held other positions, including his current appointment as Special Adviser to the governor under Sapele and not Okpara community as he claims.

“Esiso is not a card carrying member in any of the wards in Ethiope East. We see him and those behind this move as fighting Urhobo people and trying to shortchange us.”

However, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Monday Igbuya pitched his tent with Esiso arguing that the opposition and controversy over Esiso’s place of origin were calculated attempts to discredit him and scuttle his ambition.

Said he: ”Kingsley Esiso is an indigene of Okpara Inland. I can tell you that his father was buried in Okpara Inland. I was in attendance at the burial about 15 years ago. And I hope that will rest the argument of where he is from”.

”Esiso is a duly registered member of PDP. He is a card-carrying member of PDP, Ward 2 in Sapele Local Government Area. Esiso has diligently served the party. We are fully in support of him,” the Speaker added.

Apart from Esiso, other candidates that emerged yesterday in line with the consensus trend from Delta Central are: Vice Chairman, Chief A. P. Fovie; Organizing Secretary, Chief Onoriode Sunday; Auditor, Chief J. J. Scott; Assistant Financial Secretary, Chief Mike Imirueye; State Ex-officio, Mrs. Vivian Ogheneovo; State Ex-officio, Mr. Samson Egbemre; and Assistant Publicity Secretary, London Owhofasa.