Uduaghan’s Bribe Promise Causes Conflict In Opposition Parties

Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, has allergy caused chaos among the opposition political parties under the aegis of the Association of Registered Political Parties in the state ahead the October 25th local government election.

Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan

According to SaharaRepoters, the crisis emanated from the series of reports alleging that the state governor had promised to give cars and cash bribes to some of the political leaders.
A source, however, claimed that the move was a calculated attempt by the governor to cause crisis among the political leaders, adding that it was a quick way to betray the various opposition parties before the polls as well as the 2015 general elections.
It would be recalled that Uduaghan told newsmen during a press conference that the 2014 Children’s Day and Democracy celebrations would be low key, but on May 29th, he went ahead and invited over twenty opposition political parties, excluding the All Progressives Congress, Democratic Peoples Party, and a few other parties, to an elaborate dinner, where he promised to buy over twenty cars for them as well as some amount of money running into several millions of naira.

It was gathered that shortly after the governor’s promise; members of the various parties in attendance applauded him including David Ashikodi, the association’s chairman, who also acts as the state chairman of the Accord Party.
Responding, Ashikodi, alleged that the governor had, since 2007 when he was sworn-in, “put opposition parties in the state to shame,” with his developmental steps.
“Your Excellency, I want you to know, that from the stipends you are giving to opposition parties, we use some of it to run our national secretariats. You have intimidated, and embarrassed us with your achievements such that, opposition parties in the state have nothing to say again,” a leader of an opposition group was quoted as saying at the gathering.
Ashikodi revealed that the association had agreed that it would not project any candidate at any level, especially in his senatorial positon against the desires of the governor.
It was further gathered that the opposition parties leaders then compromised on a ‘sharing formula,’ that take place, when the cars and cash bribes is ceded to them. 
Though some members had concluded on a sharing formula, some chairmen of opposition parties accused Ashikodi of ‘selling them out,’ to Governor, and his Peoples Democratic Party.
On the other hand, the state chairman of the Labour Party, and four other parties have also dissociated themselves from the promise made by the association chairman, while Comrade Emeka Nkwoala, the Labour Party Chairman condemned in its entirety, the speech made by the association.
“For me, I don’t sponsor my national secretariat. My National Chairman, Barrister Dan Nwuanyanwu, is a national figure of great repute. All the chapters of my party are well catered for by the national body. The endorsement of Uduaghan, as the sole candidate for the senatorial seat in Delta South, was a unilateral decision of his Accord Party, so I will advise the governor to stop basking in the euphoria of such political statements. Even the Governor knows that it is not possible. Mind you, we are political parties aiming to capture power. We will definitely field a candidate in Delta South,” Emeka Nkwoala said, adding that the PDP should be prepared to lose in the forthcoming October 25 local government election in the state”.
Tony Ezeagwu, the state chairman of Democratic People’s Party while also reacting to the statement, said the manner which Uduaghan spends state funds was alarming, and said: “(the) DPP has been vindicated. It is a question of who is fooling whom. You will recall that Governor Uduaghan sometime this year, (had) told the PDP National Chairman Alhaji Ahmed Mu’azu, that Delta State is a ‘one party state.’ Where did the governor find those (party members) he is about to give cars and cash gifts to?”
Responding also, a human rights lawyer, Oghenejabor Ikimi, who is the Executive Director of Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged, warned the governor against public funds.
“It is wrong to spend public funds this way. Giving car gifts, and cash, running into millions of naira to politicians and friends, while many Deltans live in penury and abject poverty is unacceptable to me. I cannot comprehend this. As I speak, many pensioners in the state are yet to receive their gratuities, since their retirement two or more years ago” he said.
Meanwhile, it was earlier reported that Uduaghan, is good at spending state money to the detriment of Deltans, without any form of remorse. He gave out bribes of N50, 000 each, to the same chairmen of the local opposition political parties in 2013. The receipient of the said amount comprised: Oke Idawene, SDP, Joe Chukwu, ADC, Efe Tobor, MPPP, Moses Abeh, APA, Chidi Odogwu, NNPP, Ngozi Ogbogo, AD, Paul Isamade, ACPN, Victor Egwuenu, PPN, Jude Eze, KOWA, Nelly Nwaka, AA, David Ebrunu, ACD, Ashikodi David, Accord Party, Peters Emuakpoje, CPP, Oluremi Mohammed, PDC, Anyanwu Ikechukwu, NCP, John Freeman Ghiadike, NPP, Tony Eboka, APGA, and Val Chichi, UDP.
The money which was to endorse the 2013 by-election of the Delta Central Senatorial District was publicly given and announced in a press conference where the above named agreed to work for the governor against the APC candidate.
Taju Isiche, the governors Special Adviser on Inter Parties Relations and the Special Adviser on Education Monitoring, Mrs. Rhoda Ikede, conducted the confrernce which later caused political conflicts after the chairmen discovered that the money which was came through the office of the Special Adviser on Inter Party Relations, was actually N5Million, while the governor’s aide gave them the sum of N50, 000 each.