MASSIVE DEFECTIONS HIT ISOKO SOUTH PDP

* I Defected Because Umeh/Erowa Ward Is In Danger – Hon Silas Bouwe

* They Will Still Come Back –  Bashirun Askia

* They Have No Genuine Reasons To Leave PDP – Dr. Ofuafo

By: Kelvin Ohoror

According to Plato in his discourse (the republic ) ‘democracy is a charming form of government full of variety and disorder’’.recently we have seen the massive exodus of senior members of the PDP from isoko south local government area delta state and the party seems not to care about the shrinking effect development.

The problem with isoko so uth people democratic party (PDP) could be some persons has pocketed the party in the area. it is normal for people to defect from one party to another but in isoko south the reverse is the case.

The question in the lips of so many people in the area is that why are the people running from Okowa and the PDP?  Or is it lack of internal democracy in isoko south PDP? Is it imposition of party officials? Could these be the root of these defections?

It is no longer news that the likes of Hon. Benjamin Efekodo,Hon. Silas Bouwe, Hon.  Cheaver Ohorienu, Mr. Vincent Omorie, Barr. Joe Arausi, Chief Hon. Reubenruben Oguname Lucky Okperi amongst  others are now members of APC.

Meanwhile, in an interview with one of the defector Hon. Silas Bouwe he asserted that, ‘the events in the PDP are responsible for my exit, I made it clear the day I defected of the interest of my people, the Umeh and Erowha people are in danger ‘according to Hon. Bouwe, ‘’we supported the PDP massively in the 2015 general election and the Umeh/Erowha ward was rated number 3 highest voting scoring ward in Isoko South. 

We gave the incumbent governor the highest s coring votes, in other words we are supposed to be compensated and whatever the present government is doing should be commensurate with the votes we gave in terms of appointments, Infrastructures’ ’he  stated.

Hon. Bouwe also noted that there is nothing in DESOPADEC current budget for Umeh/Erowha ward and even the delta state current budget for the ward. in terms of appointment there is nothing, until we started this agitation on few weeks ago that they hurriedly gave appointments of an S.A to the ward on community development in the person of Hon. Alade Odire and that is not what the ward desire.

We deserve much more a better deal than an S.A to the governor. this are the factors that are responsible for my exit from the party. if I have the opportunity I will do it over and over again.  

When asked about his relationship with Hon. Bashirun Askia Ogieh, Hon. Bouwe asserted that ‘’ the fact of the matter,I have a good personal relationship with Bashirun Askia Ogieh,I have nothing against him as an individual he is my friend, elder brother, he is someone I rate very high left for my relationship with him I will remain in PDP.

This my defection is beyond my relationship with him, it is about the interest of the umeh/erowha people and we want to be affected positively and so if for one reason we are not affected positively, we have no choice than to leave and seek for greener pasture” .

He also clearly stated that the APC led federal government is offering a better deal.’’ APC is a national party its control the national resources of this nation. the PDP became what they became for 16years because it was a national party. so we cannot be talking of nothing than the APC of today’’.

Hon. Bouwe however lamented that, ‘as a former government senior official I was privilege to peep into the current desopadec for the year the delta state budget for the year there is nothing in the two budget for my ward. if any one is saying that this reasons is not sufficient enough for a politician of my caliber to defect from the party I have contributed so much to let him/her wear the shoes I am wearing of which I am complaining that is not good”.

The one time former house of assembly member representing Isoko South Constituency 2 also expressed his displeasure over the under development and marginalization of the isoko nation.” a lot is desire to be done, Isoko as a nation is the most under developed, most marginalized ethnic group in Delta State, this is evident from the two township of Isoko Ozoro and Oleh, you will bear witness when you go to ughelli is not the same thing with that you see in ozoro and oleh.the earlier Isoko politicians wake up to this reality the better for us”.

He therefore admonished the Isoko Nation to be more united,“Isoko should be more united,we are good at crucifying our own, this trend must stop and until we stop this syndrome, Isoko will not moved forward. An average Isoko politicians believe politics is all about going to asaba and getting things done, politics is beyond asaba.there are a lot of things happening in Abuja,no Isoko sons or daughters is playing national politics.

We can only salvage this situation by being united and allowed to play politics in the two major political party”.

He also chide the attitude of those who are saying he is not a factor in Umeh/Erowah ward politics. ‘we shall know if I am not a factor, let election comes, then we shall see how can they say a party with six former house of assembly members in isoko is a wish away party”.

Also speaking on the recent defection of some members of the PDP Hon. Bashirun askia ogieh stated that, “PDP is intact in isoko south, to talk of a crack that is something strange to us. we are not aware of any crack in isoko south PDP” Bashorun Askia Ogieh also stated during the familiarization visit of the state PDP chairman Barr. Kingsley Esiso, “you know that at the end of every election there are losers and winners and then when some persons lose, you can see they are aggrieved over their lost but been a family affair will can always encourage reconciliation of every party to the contest and I think that is what we have done effectively and we are home and dry and safe”.

He also noted that,” the defection of those who left the party is not something new. The political party is an association and then the constitution guarantee freedom of association and freedom of movement and so it is not an issue if in a house of hundred and you manage to see one or two persons leaving and you know the country is hard and not too rosy, it is always normal.”

Bashorun Ogieh also asserted that “ for Hon. Silas Bouwe a good fellow he is but if he has left for another party, he will find time to come back, him and the rest will always come back”.

He therefore charged PDP faithful in Isoko South to keep faith in PDP led government in the state.” We have a very astute administration in the person of Dr. Ifeanyi  Arthur Okowa and with that, we now have less problem” he stated.

Also speaking on the recent defecting the managing director SUNDOFF EYE CENTRE/CLINIC Dr. Ofuafo Sunday asserted that “as far I am concerned their reasons for defection are not genuine. They have not given any cogent reason ns for leaving the PDP. Nobody want to embrace failure, nobody want to build they just want to reap where they did not sow and their movement will not affect the party”.

Dr. Ofuafo further noted that the part structure remain the same. those that defected if you look at them critically they are not leaders because if leaders are moving crowd move with them. And if anybody is going with you or following you it means you are just taking a walk and I believe with time they are going to come back to the PDP family. There is no genuine reasons for them to leave”.

Dr. Ofuafo also stressed that, “they are leaving for selfish reasons because before now PDP made them and today they are leaving PDP.I always say something if you  don’t want to worship in a particular shrine, you return the cowries to the oracle. So they should think of what PDP has given to them, let them return what PDP has given to them, then they can leave the PDP, the party made them who they are today”.

He therefore urge those that are still in PDP to stay on and build the party. ‘there is always adversaries sometimes, any man who believes its always going to be rosy all the time is not a serious person. we all have to on and build but is quite unfortunate that the party structure has not seen some of us who working for the party “he noted.

At the time of this report, it was rumoured that so many PDP faithful will still defect from the party.