By Ovie Okpare
Immediate past Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, on Saturday charged Nigerians and Deltans to support and vote for all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections.
Uduaghan specifically declared his support for the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the governorship candidate of the party in Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
The former governor spoke on Saturday in Warri when he hosted Delta South PDP leaders and stakeholders ahead of the flag-off of the ward-to-ward PDP campaign in Delta South senatorial district.
He also declared that he was fully in PDP and appealed to members of the party not to leave or vote against candidates of the party in the next year’s elections.
Uduaghan, an Itsekiri-born medical doctor, posited “It’s better to deliver candidates of the party than to deliver those of other parties. I am very serious of what I am saying. Let’s deliver all our candidates in the election.”
The former governor, who was publicly attending political activities for the first time after the gubernatorial primaries of the PDP, called for reconciliation and unity among party members ahead of the elections.
According to him, “PDP fed some of us and whatever we can do to give back to the party, we must do. I see it a a reconciliatory meeting, , even though we are saying we are United, we still have issues. Talking to people and listening to people, I from my findings, understand all has not been well
“I want to appeal to every one that power belongs to God. I least I have tasted power before. God lifted me to a position where I never dreamt I will be. It was just God’s grace, favour and blessing. God knows what you want, if that is not designed for you, even though you pray from now till tomorrow, He will not answered you.
“I want to plead with us that we should be like the water that has no enemy. When you quarrel and fight and God says this is what I want, please let’s respect that position.
“We are in a party, PDP, today we have a presidential candidate, HE Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, vice Presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, our governor. We must thank God that we are privileged to have somebody in that position from our state. No matter the misgivings you have with him before, that he got there by the grace of God, we have no option than to support him to succeed.
“I told somebody yesterday that since Okowa became the vice Presidential candidate, nobody has heard from some of us, neither myself, Ibori or Manager, nobody has heard from us and it is not good for our state, it’s not good for our governor and it’s not good for the vice Presidential candidate of the PDP.
“We must all lined behind him and give him the maximum support. I was a leader of this party for eight years in Delta, James is our national leader of he Ibori family, he guided all of us, I am still part of that family and will continue to be part of that family. Within the family you have issues and challenges and all that but that does not mean that we should kill ourselves within the family.
“I appeal to all of us, it’s not possible to cut our heart opened and see what is inside whatever is in your heart, please give a space and give support to our presidential and vice Presidential candidates, I beg you am serious with what I am saying now.
“For the state we must all come together and deliver our candidates, am saying this with all seriousness and from the bottom of my heart I am old enough in the politics of Delta State to be able to access people I know those who are sincere and those who are not sincere .
“The truth is that I believe you will benefit more if you deliver our own candidate that deliver the candidates of another party . The candidates of another party already has his followers, those in same party with him, a few people can benefit but not majority. He must attend to his people first so it is better you try and deliver your own.
then you can now confront him if he does not do you well.
“I appeal that we must concentrate on our candidates and deliver them, we have Governorship candidate, deputy Governorship candidate, Sir Monday Onyeme, we should and deliver them.
“Going down the line, our Senatorial candidate, it will be morally and spiritually wrong for us to work against him, I am standing here to say this so that people will stop spreading unnecessary rumours, stories that will divide the party the more, we should put stories together that will move the party forward
“Please let’s come together, from our voting units, organised in such a way that all the elections that are coming, we are found wanting in our voting units.
“Every ward in Delta has enough people in PDP that can deliver the ward to our party, I appeal that we concentrate von our voting units and wards and deliver candidates. Okowa has a lot work to do outside the state, but he also has enough men to hold the state for him,
“Let’s put our differences aside and put together what can make our victorious as leading party in Delta.
“With the introduction of BVAS, we must aggressively mobilise our people to go and vote. That is the only way you can win election.”
Among those present at the event were the Delta South senatorial candidate, Prince Micheal Diden aka Ejele; member representing Warri Federal Constituency, Chief Thomas Ereyetomi; member representing Burutu Federal Constituency, Hon. Nicholas Mutu; managing Director of DESOPADEC, Bashorun Askia Ogieh and former speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Basil Ganagana.
