Okowa’s Kinsmen Pass Vote of No-Confidence on him, as YDP Receives 150 Decampees in Ika North East

By Miracle Enuji

As plans towards 2019 election thickens, political parties and aspirants have kicked off underground plans and strategies on how to retain power or wrestle out power from the incumbents whose scorecards do not reflect the yearnings of the masses.

This was the scenario when Executive Members of the Young Democratic Party (YDP) in Delta State led by Barr. Festus Ofume stormed Ekwuoma Community in Ika North East Local Government Area on Sunday, September 24, 2017 to harvest 150 new party faithful who decamped from their various parties.

Ekwuoma, a major town in the PDP-led Ika North East Local Government Council where the the State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa hails from was the first port of call for the moving train of YDP in its quest to establish the presence of the Political Party in every ward and local government area in Delta State.

Receiving the new entrants, the YDP Chairman, Barr. Ofume who was elated by the large turnout at the occasion stated that YDP will bring light and life to the people of Ekwuoma who have been forgotten by the ruling party thus, relegating the people to abject poverty and reckless abandonment assuring that the era of marginalization by the authorities at the local government headquarters will be put to an end by having a representative from Young Democratic Party.

In his words, “the purpose of this programme is to welcome and receive 150 people of Ika North East that are defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party and other parties to Young Democratic party. They have seen the light in YDP and hence this great event that we are witnessing today with a large turnout considering that this is the Local Government where the ruling party has been able to produce their Governor and for us to be having this number of decampees to YDP from the Local Government of the Governor, it is a plus for YDP and a signal to the ruling party that the time is up. If the forthcoming local government election is free and fair, PDP will loose Ekwuoma and many other wards including the entire local government area.”

“Our message to Ekwuoma people who have been forgotten by PDP, is to tell them that YDP has brought the light to them. The roads are not tarred, no presence of governance in Ekwuoma and no meaningful dividends of democracy in Ekwuoma for the past 18 years of PDP in Delta State. That is why YDP has come to give them hope. YDP is conscious of the existence and importance of Ekwuoma people and its Environs.”

Festus Ofume Addressing YDP Members in Ekwuoma

Ofume further took a swipe at Governor Okowa’s inability to show the true meaning of Governance which is painting the good people of Anioma black in the political sphere. “If you go around, you will here people saying that the Aniomas do no have the quality of good governance or good leadership but that is not true. It is a problem that is associated with Okowa and his political party, it is not a problem associated with the people of Anioma. We have good persons who are fit, that understand what governance is in Delta North and that is what YDP is trying to do. To look inwards and harness, that come 2019, YDP will give the Anioma people better alternative for someone that is going to occupy that position in Government House.“

The legal practitioner while addressing the gathering in Ika language stressed that; “we are not the party that will share the money allocated for the execution of projects and social amenities. We need money to outdo past administrations and that is why YDP at this stage is setting up structures at the ward levels and LGAs so that aspirants that have indicated interests for the forthcoming elections under YDP can kick off their familiarization visits and show off their manifestos to Deltans at all levels because they are well ready with their funds, adding that in YDP, there are no anointed candidates or leaders who endorse candidates for elections.”

Speaking on behalf of the new entrants, Mr. Meye Ikpeasonim who is the chairman of One Love Pressure Group said he is grateful for the coming of YDP into Ekwuoma stressing that he forsees a brighter governance with YDP. Ikpeasonim expressed disaffection with the way PDP and other political parties have treated the people of Ekwuoma and the absence of good road networks in the neigbouring communities Akumazi, Owerre-Olubor, Igbodo, Umunede and Ute-Ogbeje all in the local government of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

A Cross Section of YDP Members in Ekwuoma

Leading the Vote of No-Confidence on Governor Okowa, Mr. Joseph Obiajuru said the community is not satisfied with the Okowa led administration. “There are no Jobs, no light, no roads, no social amenities within the community. What we have in Ekuoma is a zero presence of Government. He did nothing, absolutely zero.”