A leadership crisis has engulfed the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Ward 9, Oshimili south local government area, Delta State.
The tussle led to a vote of no confidence passed on the Ward 9 chairman, Austin Mgbeze, over his inaptitude and the abysmal performance of the party in the Ward in the just concluded general elections in the State.
In a Communique’ signed by 17 leaders of the party in the Ward, they declared that the leadership of the Ward particularly the Chairman, his wife, Mrs. Mgbeze and Chief Douglas Okolotu, had failed in their responsibilities to the party.
The vote of no confidence is contained in a communique issued at the end of an emergency meeting convened by the leaders to review the outcomes of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Similarly, the meeting looked at the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the ward, largely dominated by non Indigenes.
The party leaders, who noted that the failure of the key leadership of the ward to convene a meeting after such poor performances was insensitive.
According to them, the Ward Chairman, his wife, Mrs Mgbeze and Chief Douglas Okolotu, piloted the affairs of the ward as if it was a private enterprise.
They said exclusion and lack of accountability had characterized every activity of the ward, alleging that all the funds generated during the ward campaign and those allocated to the ward for mobilization of support for the elections were neither disbursed nor accounted for.
They opined that development was what was largely responsible for the poor performance of the ward in the elections.
The Oshimili South PDP Ward 9 leaders maintained that there was no reason or justification for the failure of the party in the ward, in view of the due attention accorded to infrastructural and human capital development of the ward by the state government.
They stressed that the good works of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the ward were more than enough to guarantee a landslide victory for the party in the elections.
They used the opportunity to congratulate the State Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, the incoming Governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori and the Oshimili South constituency State House of Assembly member-elect, Barr Bridget Anyafulu, on the victory of PDP in the March 18 Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Oshimili South LGA.
The leaders stated that the decisions made at the emergency meeting were in the best interest of PDP in the ward and to avoid further defeat of the party in future elections in the ward.
The communique was signed by Hon Eugene Okonji, Mrs Chinye Usoh, Ogbueshi Pascal Onukwu, Benson Ogwu, Patricia Onianwa, Innocent Nkolu, Franca Mogbogu, Hon Chinedu Odu and Chief Ezeubo Onuorah.
Others are Chukwudi Okonta, Ngozi Ojugbana, Barr A. K. Nmah, Nchekwube Obi, Hon Victor Okocha, Ogbueshi Asika Chukwurah, Collins Mordi and Uche Nwabukwu.
