Facts reaching our newsroom indicate that a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani constituency, Ossai Nicholas Ossai has been tipped as running mate to Olorogun David Edevbie in the 2023 general elections.
Emerald News reports that on Wednesday, a section of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) under Delta Unity Group endorsed the candidacy of David Edevbie as authentic governorship candidate of the party in Delta state. This is even as another existing group, Delta People’s Vanguard has long endorsed Sheriff Oborevwori as its candidate.
There has been a titanic legal battle between David Edevbie and Sheriff Oborevwori over the authentic candidate of the party for the 2023 governorship election. In the primaries held on May 25, 2022, Oborevwori defeated Edevbie making him winner and eventual candidate of the party.
But arising from the discrepancies in Oborevwori’s academic certificates, Edevbie proceeded to the federal high court in Abuja to challenge the authenticity of Oborevwori’s certificate. Justice Taiwo Taiwo who presided over the case ruled against Oborewvori, and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission and PDP to drop Oborevwori and replace him with Edevbie’s name.
In swift response, Oborevwori filed for a stay of execution and made a case to appeal court praying the court to upturn the judgment of the lower court and restate him as the party’s authentic governorship candidate for the general election. The case is still at the appeal court waiting for hearing.
However, a breakaway group emerged on Wednesday night, throwing weight behind the candidacy of David Edevbie. Among the members who formed the Delta Unity Group are former speaker of the state house of assembly, Peter Onwusanya, Michael Akpobire, Patrick Muoboghare, Frank Omare, Daniel Reyenieju, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, Chiedu Ebie, Itiako Ikpokpo, Monday Igbuya, Karo Ilolo, Orode Uduaghan, Uche Osadebe and a lot of others.
The group, in a meeting held in Kwale Ndokwa west, on Wednesday, declared that without prejudice to the pending appeal over the candidacy of Delta PDP for the 2023 governorship election, it stands firmly with Olorogun David Edevbie as the lawful and authentic candidate of the party in line with the declarative judgment of the federal high court, Abuja.
The group called on the national leadership of the party to show characteristic example in abiding by the rule of law and to promptly forward the nomination of Olorogun David Edevbie to the Independent National Electoral Commission in line with the subsisting order of court, unless and until there is a contrary order.
It also urged all Deltans to embrace the modernisation agenda of Olorogun David Edevbie as the only sure manifesto for the sustainable socio-economic development and growth of the state and the prosperity of all Deltans.
Arising from this and with the support of the PDP stakeholders, an impeccable source in Ndokwa land told Emerald News that Ossai Nicholas Ossai has been tipped as running mate to Olorogun David Edevbie in preparation for the victory that may be declared by the court of appeal in favour of Edevbie.
The source said Ossai, a member of the PDP was reportedly ousted at the House of Representatives primaries allegedly under the directive of the governor, hence Ossai is also displeased with the move of the governor, a development which made him to key into the Edevbie candidacy.
The impeccable source also said the group has as well dumped Monday Onyeme, the deputy governorship candidate of the Sheriff Oborevwori camp. The resort to Ndokwa nation for the deputy governorship is based on the fact that all the parties so far are picking their running mates from the area.
Omo-Agege of the APC picked his deputy from Ndokowa east, Friday Osanebi, Kenneth Gbagi of the SDP picked his running mate from Ukwuani, one Rosemary Oshilim, a female, hence the need to fall back to the Ndokwa land to pick Ossai as Edevbie’s running mate.
The source said Ossai is close to the grassroots having been in the house of representatives for the past three terms. He said the Ibori’s camp which is sponsoring Edevbie dumped all the persons in Okowa’s camp and went for new hands to build Edevbie’s government.
