Opposition to the reelection of former governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has resurfaced hours after he lost his position via a Court of Appeal judgment which nullified his 2007 election victory and ordered a re-run of the election within 90 days.
A faction of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, led by former federal commissioner for information in the First Republic, Edwin Clark, yesterday rejected Mr. Uduaghan’s candidacy and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately investigate and prosecute him.
Mr. Clark, speaking on Wednesday in Abuja, at a meeting with Delta State elders, leaders, and stakeholders, said the Appeal Court has vindicated his claim that there was no election in the state in 2007, and called on anti-corruption agencies to immediately arrest the ex-governor.
“Election into the governorship seat was never held in Delta State. Uduaghan was never our governor, and PDP cannot win the re-run election with him. We have rejected him and we will continue to reject him. We are all in the Peoples Democratic Party, but it was not a PDP government that was removed, because majority of the PDP members opposed Uduaghan.
“We believe that with the Appeal Court judgment, God has come to judgment because God listens to His people. We don’t know how much Ibori left in Delta State,” Mr. Clark said.
Allegation of fraud
Specifically, he alleged that Mr. Uduaghan was involved in the looting of Delta State’s treasury during the Ibori administration. He also accused the former governor of mismanaging the resources of the state.
“For the past three years, the state had received over N500bn, but despite this amount, nothing had happened. The PDP had rejected Uduaghan because the evil committed by him and Ibori can only be removed by another person who does not believe in their dynasty. What Ibori started has been taken over by Uduaghan and our resources are draining. So this is the time for the people of Delta State to be saved,” he said.
The Ijaw leader also said the party executive in the state, led by Peter Nwaoboshi, was an illegal body, and called on the president to dissolve it.
It accused the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) of colluding to destabilise the party in the state, saying the PDP cannot win any election with Mr. Uduaghan as a candidate.
Yes i know you guys will not let him in there not because of anything but just because Uduaghan did not give you guys retruns that is why the PDP leader want him out. dose it really have to be so? Nigerians lets tell ourself the true. Mr. Clark what good have you done for Delta State when you was a federal commissioner for information that make’s you to have the right of asking Uduaghan out? Mr. Clark has the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigate you???