The speculation by Fred Oghenesivbe, Executive Assistant(Communications) to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa today(29/6/2018) that former Delta state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan will decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday have sent tongues wagging on why the governor’s aide should speculate on this issue and whether or not there are some hidden agenda.
Fred Oghenesivbe wrote, “There are strong indications that the immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan may have concluded plans with the new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomole to officially defect to the party on Monday 2nd July, 2018 or so soon thereafter.
Reliable sources disclosed that Uduaghan have been funding Delta APC secretly through his cronies who left the PDP and joined APC after the 2014 party primaries; wherein Uduaghan’s choice for the governorship race, Sir Tony Chuks Obuh was dropped unceremoniously, a development that was attributed to high power political scheming by powerful gladiators within the state PDP family.
Another source traced the likely defection of Uduaghan to his numerous high profile fraud cases being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); as petitioners alleged that Billions of Naira developed wings and flew from the state treasury into private pockets and foreign banks through fake and over-inflated contracts especially the State Independent Power Project (IPP) deal involving former speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Ochei.
Ochei, for fear of investigation and prosecution by EFCC over the IPP fraud defected to APC in 2016 while Uduaghan delayed but was alleged to have fronted his men to prepare the way for his coming.
One of Uduaghan’s strong political associates in Delta APC and bossom friend of Adams Oshiomole, High Chief Ayiri Emami may have brokered Uduaghan’s defection deal to put an end to all the high profile fraud cases hanging on his neck at the EFCC.
Another reason for the new wave of political unfaithfulness on the side of Uduaghan was attributed to 2019 Delta Central Senatorial ticket. Sources alleged that as a former Governor, Uduaghan wanted him to be imposed on the party as consensus candidate, but PDP Delta leadership opted for a free, fair and credible party primaries to be conducted in August or so soon thereafter.
In the light of the above, Uduaghan decided, accordion to sources, to defect to the APC where he shall be protected from EFCC investigations plus the senatorial ticket on a platter of gold.
Ayiri and Oshiomole are both business associates and intimate friends which is why the APC senatorial ticket has been conceded to Uduaghan.
We shall keep our fingers crossed till Monday, by which time substantial details will surface to enable Deltans reflect on the man “Uduaghan” and his defection saga.
