Oborevwori Urges Sustained Unity as Arenyeka Emerges Delta PDP Chairman at Asaba Congress

*Ibori shuns event as Okowa, Onyeme, Manager, Nwoko, Guwor lead voters

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has harped on the need to sustain the impressive peaceful conduct of the Delta State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he attributed to existence of unity, as the party elected a new state executive committee on Saturday.
Solomon Arenyeka emerged as the new Delta PDP Chairman, taking over from Kingsley Esiso.

Congratulating the new officers on their election during the exercise held at the Cenotaph Asaba, the governor commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise that drew a large number of state delegates, adding that the importance of working together for the party’s continued growth vis-a-vis the overall development of the state could not be over-stressed.

Oborevwori told newsmen: “You can see that the congress is peaceful. We also thank God for the good weather today.
“More importantly, you can see that we (PDP members) are united in Delta State. That’s why you see that there is no crisis.”
However, the governor advised the incoming PDP State Executive Committee to prioritize sustained unity in the party and work towards its continued strength, especially as the party looks ahead to the 2027 general election.

He cautioned politicians not to focus attention on 2027 as that was still early in the day to do, stressing that his administration’s priority was on “delivering good governance to the people of Delta State”.

The 3,152 delegates at the PDP State Congress include Governor Oborevwori, his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, immediate past Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, pioneer state party chairman, Senator James Manager, Senator Ned Nwoko, Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Emomotimi Guwor as well as present and past members of the national and state legislators.

However, the strained relationship between the party and former governor, Chief James Ibori, came to the fore again as he was conspicuously absent, as the hitherto eminent leader of the PDP in Delta State.

A team of PDP officials from Abuja, led by Prof Frank Collins Okafor, conducted the exercise, also under the watchful eye of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials as well as being monitored by independent observers.
Elected with Solomon Arenyeka, the State Chairman, are: Mr. Moses Iduh as Deputy Chairman, Mr. Daniel Ossai as Vice-Chairman, Delta North Senatorial District; Mr. Anthony Akpomiemie as Vice-Chairman, Delta Central Senatorial District; Chief Emmanuel Amgbaduba as Vice-Chairman, Delta South Senatorial District.

Others elected PDP officers are Chief Isaacs Itebu (Secretary); Chief Chibuzor Uwajei (State Treasurer); Mr. Fidelis Adjogbe (Financial Secretary), Dr. Ebenezer Okorodudu (Publicity Secretary); Mr. Emmanuel Egbabor (Organizing Secretary); Mr. Hessington Okolo (State Legal Adviser); Chief Mrs. Dora Sakpaide (State Woman Leader); Mr. Francis Okolie (State Youth Leader); and, Mr. Alex Akemotubo (State Auditor), amongst others.

Prof. Okafor, chairman of the election panel, commended the peaceful conduct of the elections, which were held in accordance with party rules.

He described Delta PDP as a model for peaceful party congresses and hoped that the National Working Committee of the party would borrow a leaf from the Delta example to sanitize national congress.