By Iteveh Ekpokpobe
The immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, is set to return to the People Democratic Party (PDP), NIGER DELTA TODAY Online, can exclusively report.
Uduaghan is returning two years after he dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he contested for the Delta South Senatorial District election in 2019.
This, it was gathered, was after series of meetings between him, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and other leaders of the party in the state and at the national level.
Multiple sources within state leadership of the party confirmed Uduaghan’s rejoining the party from the APC.
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Sources in Delta Government House also confirmed that the former Governor met with Governor Okowa in Asaba to cement and put final touch to his return to the PDP fold.
Uduaghan was Delta governor on the PDP platform for eight years and had served as Secretary to the State Government under Chief Ibori-led administration. He was also a commissioner for health in the state.
However, following cold-war between him and some members of the Ibori political dynasty, he defected to APC in August 2018 where he worked for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and also contested for Senate in 2019.
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Credible sources within the Ibori political family confirmed to our correspondent that the issues that led to Uduaghan’s defection from the party had been addressed and resolved.
The sources also claimed there is no longer political or any disagreement between Uduaghan under him incumbent Governor Okowa served as Secretary to the State Government before going to the Senate.
“His Excellency, former Governor Uduaghan is joining us (PDP) soon. A big ceremony is being put in place by Governor Okowa to welcome him to the family where he rightly belongs. We are happy that our leader is coming back”, top member of the then Uduaghan’s administration confided in this reporter.
Reacting to the news, Uduaghan, said it was within his right as a senior citizen of the state to visit the Government House at any time especially being a former governor of the state.
Speaking through his Media Assistant, Mr. Monoyo Edon, he said he was still in APC
He said for a man of his calibre, it was a normal thing for people to say things like that about him.
“As a former Governor, Uduaghan still owes Delta State a duty. Visiting Government House, Asaba, is not enough reason for such conclusions”, he stressed.
