Ethiope Politics: Forum Leaders, Amori not at War with Ibori – Oghenesivbe
Senator Dr Ighoyota Amori and leaders of Ethiope Federal Constituency in Delta State, are neither at war politically with former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori nor his former federal lawmaker daughter, Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu.
Rather, the leadership of the Forum and PDP are insisting that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should within a reasonable time conduct by-election to fill the vacant seat as required by law, due to the unlawful defection of Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Publicity Secretary of Ethiope Federal Constituency PDP Forum, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq, who corroborated the position of the party and Forum’s Chairman, Senator Dr Ighoyota Amori, said some uninformed individuals are engrossed in name calling and casting aspersions at Chief Amori, whereas the facts in issue are clear enough for a layman to understand.
He noted that Chief Ibori and Senator Amori shall continue to hold each other in high esteem, emphasizing the need to always separate politics from personal relationship, friendship and communal fraternity, pointing out that what’s happening in Ethiope Federal Constituency is purely politics and had nothing to do with emotional sentiments.
Dr Oghenesivbe disclosed that the leaders of Ethiope Federal Constituency were invited by Chief James Ibori to his Oghara private residence prior to 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections, and pleaded that his lovely and beloved daughter, Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, be allowed to serve one tenure as member of the House of Representatives.
He recalled that after much deliberations, Chief Ibori was able to convince leaders of Ethiope Federal Constituency and they resolved to work very hard to deliver Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu at the polls in 2023, and she won the federal seat in an overwhelming landslide victory as a result of the intensive campaigns and electioneering strategies deployed by PDP leaders, party faithfuls and supporters.
The Forum Publicist noted that the defection of Ibori from PDP to APC was and still a calculated political conspiracy by some musketeers to truncate the agreement reached at Chief Ibori’s country home in Oghara prior to 2023 general elections, a development that the constituency leaders perceived to be unscrupulous move to deny Ethiope East Local Government Area from taking her turn under the PDP at the Federal House of Representatives, come 2027.
Dr Oghenesivbe assured that the Senator Amori led Group with the full support of PDP Delta shall do the needful to ensure that the vacant PDP seat at the House of Representatives is filled by a PDP member, pointing out that party PDP’s position does not in anyway suggest that leaders of the Forum are politically at war with Chief Ibori or his daughter, Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu.
He emphasized the need for political gladiators to separate politics from morality and mordain issues, saying that what’s going on in Ethiope Federal Constituency is purely politics and has nothing to do with sentiments or personality clash as some persons or group of persons may want the public or constituents to believe.
“The resolve of PDP Delta and leaders of Ethiope Federal Constituency PDP Forum to reclaim our seat at the Federal House of Representatives has nothing to do with personality clash.
“It is neither a political warfare with Chief James Ibori nor his beloved daughter, Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu. It’s purely politics, nothing more and nothing less. Chief Ibori is our amiable former governor, while Hon Erhiatake is our daughter and sister, no hard feelings. It is important that we play politics without bitterness and without name calling.
“As a former governor of Delta State and founding member of PDP, we respect and appreciate Chief James Ibori. There is nothing like political father Christmas in politics, and Chief Ibori understands the terrain very well.
“Our mission as a Forum for PDP Delta is to take back our mandate after the defection of Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu from PDP to APC as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, as well as invoke the Court Affidavit deposed to by our former representative at the National Assembly, wherein she solemnly agreed to vacate PDP seat upon defection to another political party. This is the fact in issue, not a political warfare.
“We are not, and cannot be at political war with our amiable former governor, Chief James Ibori, and cannot also be at political war with our former member representing the good people of Ethiope Federal Constituency, Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu. We want our seat back, it’s vacant at the moment,” Oghenesivbe affirmed.
