Ibori’s Daughter, Ben Ibakpa, Afe, Oboro End In Stalemate
By Onome Oghenetega
The daughter of former Governor James Ibori, Mrs. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, on Sunday failed to defeat Ben Igbakpa to emerge the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ethiope Federal Constituency during the party’s primary for the 2023 general elections.
The keenly contested primary ended in stalemate as both contestants polled 34 votes each at an exercise conducted at Oghara Township Stadium.
Igbakpa, an erstwhile political son of the former Governor Ibori, is the incumbent House of Representatives member for Ethiope Federal Constituency.
Erhiatake, a daughter of Ibori, is currently member representing Ethiope West Constituency at the Delta State House of Assembly.
Similarly, a former House of Representatives member, Evelyn Oboro, could not defeat the incumbent member representing Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie Federal Constituency, Chief Efe Afe, to emerge the party’s candidate.
The primary, which was also keenly contested, also ended in deadlock as trio of Oboro, Afe and Chief Napoleon Gbinije polled 25 votes each respectively. The fourth aspirant, Chief Julius Eyetan Egbedic scored 23 votes.
However, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu emerged PDP candidate to seek a re-election into the House of Representatives for Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency.
Elumelu polled 80 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mrs. Pat Ajudua who scored 35 votes while Kanyinebi Banye Muoboso polled 17 votes to pick third position.
Similarly, the member representing Ika Federal Constituency, Victor Nwokolo, won the party primary to contest for the fourth term into the green chamber.
Also, a former member representing Ughelli South Constituency, Olorogun Talib Tebite, emerged the flag bearer of the PDP for the Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency into the National Assembly.
Tebite defeated three others to emerge the candidate of the party in the forthcoming general election.
Furthermore, the incumbent member representing Warri Federal Constituency at the Green Chamber, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, picked the PDP ticket to contest for the 2023 election after defeating Hon. Smart Asekutu, who is the incumbent chairman of Warri North.
But a third term member representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Ossai Nicholas Ossai failed to secure the ticket of the party after he lost to his closest rival, Nnamdi Ezechi, a DESOPADEC commissioner.
Ezechi, who enjoyed the support of the governor, polled 44 votes to defeat Ossai, who scored 24 votes.
In Isoko Federal Constituency, immediate past Commissioner for Power and Energy, Jonathan Ukodhiko polled 33 votes to defeat a former Managing Director of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Bashorun Askia Ogieh who scored 21 votes.
