PDP crisis in Delta state: A reflection on leadership, loyalty, and legacy (I)

BY UDOCHUKWUKA OGELEKA EMMANUEL

The call for party loyalty in Delta State’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially under the leadership of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, is a paradox that highlights the party’s decline from its foundational principles. It is ironic to witness loyalty being canvassed to uphold a system designed to perpetuate the dominance of a single family and its cronies across Delta North. This is particularly jarring to those familiar with the historical evolution of the PDP in Delta State.

How the PDP Gained a Foothold in Delta North

The PDP’s rise to prominence in Delta North did not begin with Okowa. In fact, the party struggled to gain acceptance in the district, historically dominated by a fanatical following for Chief Great Ogboru and the opposition. It was during the tenure of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan that the PDP finally established a stronghold in Delta North.

Uduaghan adopted a democratic and inclusive leadership style, empowering local leaders to deliver their wards and ensuring grassroots mobilization. This approach, a continuation of the political philosophy of Chief James Onanefe Ibori, transformed the PDP from a struggling entity into a household name.

While the PDP naturally enjoyed popularity in Delta Central and South, it faced significant resistance in areas like Abraka and Delta North. However, Uduaghan’s strategy of empowering community leaders began to shift the narrative. This newfound popularity led to the emergence of new political structures that directly challenged Ogboru’s dominance in Delta North.

The Usurpation of Power

Despite the efforts and successes of Uduaghan and other party leaders, the PDP in Delta North was eventually usurped by Okowa and his ally, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who was then the state party chairman. Okowa capitalized on the sentiments of Anioma indigenes, promoting the idea of an Anioma governor. However, beneath this veneer of regional pride lay a ruthless ambition that alienated many of the party’s foundational leaders.

Governor Uduaghan, recognizing the dangers of Okowa’s unchecked ambition, began searching for an alternative Anioma candidate. However, through a combination of political maneuvering, blackmail, and influence over key party structures, Okowa secured the governorship of the PDP and proceeded to win the gubernatorial election in 2015 with the support of key stakeholders in the state.

A Legacy of Division and Betrayal

Upon assuming office, Okowa’s leadership style was marked by exclusion and vindictiveness. He systematically sidelined those who had supported his rise to power, including Nwaoboshi, who eventually faced incarceration. Even Chief James Ibori, who had played a pivotal role in Okowa’s emergence, was marginalized.

Okowa’s administration alienated many party loyalists, particularly in Delta North, where PDP leaders who had worked tirelessly to build the party’s popularity were cast aside. Before Uduaghan’s administration, even electoral manipulation was a challenge in Delta North, with ballots often hijacked and discarded. It was only through Uduaghan’s inclusive leadership that the PDP began to win fairly and legitimately in the district.

Today, those who benefited from Uduaghan’s leadership and the party’s growth now speak of loyalty to a PDP that no longer resembles the inclusive, democratic institution it once was. Instead, it has become a shadow of its former self—an instrument of personal ambition and control.

The Betrayal of Southern Nigeria

Okowa’s vaulting political ambition reached its bizarre height when he backstabbed the entire Southern Nigeria political bloc to secure the vice-presidential ticket alongside a Fulani running mate, violating a regional accord he had championed. Accepting to play a second fiddle to ingratiate his personal ambition exposed as a leader lacking in credibility and conscience having hosted the meeting of Southern Governors and leaders in the Delta State capital during which Asaba Declaration was made by the Southern leaders.

The kernel of the Asaba Declaration was that no Southern governor should accept the vice presidential ticket of any major political party in 2023 because it was the turn of the South (based on unwritten agreement) to produce the next president after eight years of Muhammadu Buhari presidency. This betrayal by Okowa culminated in a crushing defeat of PDP at the presidential polls. The party lost even in Okowa’s home constituency of Ika. Worse still, there are several theories and allegations about the source of funding of that ill-fated Atiku/Okowa 2023 ticket.

In a desperate bid to retain relevance, Okowa threw his weight behind the gubernatorial candidacy of Sheriff Oborevwori, seeing it as his last hope for political survival. However, his influence is waning steadily, and the PDP must now choose between breaking free from Okowa’s sinking legacy or face relapse into political oblivion.

A Path to Redemption

As Delta State approaches the 2027 elections, the PDP stands at a crossroads. Governor Oborevwori must decide whether to distance himself from Okowa and rebuild the party from its fractured state or risk being dragged down with him.

The party’s foundational leaders, many of whom have been sidelined, are poised to reclaim the PDP and restore it to its former glory. The coming years will be a test of leadership, vision, and the ability to unite a party that once stood as a beacon of hope and development in Delta State.

History has a way of remembering those who build and those who destroy. The PDP’s future in Delta State will be shaped by the choices made today. One thing is certain: the era of unchecked ambition and betrayal is coming to an end. The die is cast, and the party must now chart a new course or face the dire consequences.

Emmanuel writes from Obiaruku in Delta north senatorial district.