No fewer than 5, 000 members of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) have dumped their parties for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ahead of the 2023 March 11th election in Edjophe Community, Ughelli south local government area of Delta State.
The defectors who were members of PDP and APC in Ughievwen kingdom, were received by the SDP gubernatorial candidate in the state, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, former minister of State for education.
The defectors cited the poor performance of the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and the APC-led federal government of president Muhammadu Buhari as the reason for their action.
Speaking at a familiarization visit on Tuesday September 20th 2022, a member of the Community, popularly known as Shoco Slow, who spoke on behalf of Edjophe Community, led by its President General, Mr. Dama Godwin, said that the reason behind their action was to work and support Gbagi in his aspiration to develop the State.
Hear him: “our heart is full of gratitude to the Almighty God for the way he has used Your Excellency to meet the yearnings of youth and old people across the state.
“This community has been neglected over the past years by successive administrations at the federal, state and local levels as we have no power supply almost two and half years now.
“Your coming on board is God’s making to redeem the poor and neglected rural and urban communities in Ughievwen kingdom and Delta State by extension.
“Before you leave, we have various desires in our community but the one that is uppermost to us, is the issue of power supply.
“We want to say that every lover of progress, every lover of light, every lover of truth, every lover of good things, every lover of God’s gift will listen to your request for us to vote for SDP particularly you.
“We will give you full support by giving our votes as a token of our gratitude to you if you can restore power supply to Edjophe Community before the election.
“Edjophe Community, is the largest in population in Jeremi Ward 1, we will give our 100 per cent vote if you can ameliorate our suffering.
“We can however not rule out the possibility of the existence of some greedy and selfish individuals in our midst who may likely sell their birthright for a plate of porridge but we will lay curses on such people.
Meanwhile, moved with compassion over their plights, the governorship candidate of SDP, a renowned philanthropist and owner of Kenneth Gbagi Foundation, donated a whooping sum of N1 million for the repair of the transformer for economic boom.
While addressing the people of Edjophe at the Community’s Town Hall, Gbagi, said: “My technical team will be here to interface with you and the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
“It is the first time an Ughievwen son is vying for the governorship of Delta State. Hold your support base very strongly, if all that are here stands on their ground and support Gbagi, we have won the election.
“Don’t be afraid, be prepared. Don’t let anybody deceive you. On the day of the election, vote for SDP. We have been deceived enough, stand firm”, he noted.
He promised that if voted in, his government will pay every Deltan including Edjophe youths N30, 000 monthly before engaging them gainfully.
The party’s LGA Chairman in Ughelli South, Pastor Amos Osiki on his part, appealed to the people not to sell their PVC.
He said the PDP destroyed the state’s economy and should be voted out of power.
“Delta cannot return to the past, don’t allow them to deceive you again.
Highpoint of the visit, was the distribution of SDP membership cards to the Community after declaring unanimously to join the party ahead of the election.
The party flag, which is a symbol of the SDP, was equally presented to the representative of the President General, Daniel Ruadjere, who doubles as the Vice President General of the Edjophe Community.
