BREAKING: Delta PDP Councillorship candidate, Isreal Palmer arrested for alleged kidnapping

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Councillorship candidate in Ward 4/8 Ugono-Orogun, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State Mr. Lucky Isreal Palmer has been arrested by a crack team of the Nigerian Police over his alleged involvement in kidnapping activities.

Mr. Isreal Palmer was allegedly been forced on the members and leadership of PDP in Orogun Ward 4/8 by the immediate past LG Chairman of Ughelli North, Chief Godwin Atete, a former PDP House of Assembly candidate for Ughelli North Constituency 1, Mr Elijah Michel Idiovwa, Mrs Betty Onakpoma and Hon. Goodluck Etinagbedia was arrested on Friday at PDP leaders’ meeting held at Chief George Oyefia’s country home at Orogun to ratify his candidacy.

Advocate.ng gathered that Mr Lucky Isreal Palmer, who has been on the police wanted list for sundry crimes, and has been invading police arrest was trailed to the venue of the meeting by a team of police officers from Abraka division, in collaboration with policemen from Orogun division stormed the meeting venue and apprehend him, a situation that caused the meeting ended abruptly.

Attempts by our correspondent to confirm the report were unsuccessful as calls put across to the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Bright Edafe were not responded to, and text and WhatsApp messages sent to him were replied to as of the time of filling this report.

However, a senior police officer with the Abraka police division who spoke to us anonymously confirmed the arrest, adding that since Mr Lucky Isreal Palmer arrest yesterday, the police have come under tremendous pressure to free him from notable PDP leaders in Ughelli North, particularly the immediate past LG Chairman of Ughelli North, Chief Godwin Atete, a former PDP House of Assembly candidate for Ughelli North Constituency 1, Mr Elijah Michel Idiovwa.

When contacted, Mr. Elijah Michel Idiovwa confirmed the arrest of Mr. Lucky Isreal Palmer, describing it as a mere internal political crisis within the PDP in Orogun that would be resolved in due time, he, however, denied interfering with the police investigations.

According to him, “The police is doing their job, they should do their job, nobody is mounting pressure on anybody, we are having a political crisis and certainly it would be solved, so why should we mount pressure on anybody? We are aware that he has been arrested, so police should do their job,” he added.

Meanwhile, attempts to reach the former council chairman proved abortive as calls to his mobile didn’t connect.

Recall that the leadership of PDP in Orogun Ward 4/8 in two separate petitions to the State PDP Chairman and Chairman, PDP Leaders and Elders Council, Ughelli North Constituency 1 raised alarm of attempt by some vested interest in the party to impose Mr Lucky Isreal Palmer who according to them has a ‘questionable character’ and is not from any of the communities that make up the ward.

In one of the petitions which were signed by Mr. Richard Etinagbedia, ward chairman, Mr Oke Eyankuaire, ward secretary and Mrs Philo Emoghene, ward women leader, copied Pastor Kesiena Nomuoja, PDP Chairman, Ughelli North, Chief Surv. Terry Noah Chairman, PDP Leaders & Elders Council Ughelli North, Chief Dr. Chris Oharisi, Secretary PDP Leaders & Elders Council Ughelli North, Rt. Hon. Festus Ovie Agas PDP Leader, Ughelli North, Chief Sir. Fred Majemite, PDP Leader, Ughelli North, Mr. Robinson Ighorodje Chairman, PDP Leaders & Elders Council Agbarha Ward, Hon. Morgan Ogapha PDP, State Ex-official Asaba and Mr Tony Omonigho, PDP, State Assistant Organizing Secretary, they affirmed the victory of Sunday Onajite Idjuku, as the candidate of the party.

The petition reads in part: “We write as executives of our great party in Ward 4/8 Ugono-Drogun for ourselves and on behalf of the faithful and loyal members of the party in the above-named ward as we say no to the imposition of a total stranger and a questionable person on us by those who have not been contributing to the development of the party in the ward.

“Sir, by the directions of the State Chairman of our party on the forthcoming local government election in the State, we met as a party and arrived at the following:

“That to avoid rancour and discord within our ranks considering our closeness to the seat of opposition in the State, we adopted a consensus method in picking our councillor candidate.

“b. That on the consensus method, we considered all the aspirants and chose one Mr Sunday Onajite Idjuku who has been financing the party in the ward.
“d. That we rejected one Mr. Lucky Isreal who also indicated interest in the position on the ground that he has questionable character and is not in any way related to our ward and therefore a stranger.

“That the said Mr Lucky Isreal Palmer’s father and mother are not from our ward and therefore cannot be our representative, he should go to Eku his home town.

“That to our greatest surprise, we saw that some persons who called themselves leaders wrote to recommend the rejected Lucky Isreal for their selfish reasons. And to which we say NO.

“That the people sponsoring him were those who were campaigning for Agege in the last general election in 2023 with the slogan, vote for Agege, vote for me.

“That we have chosen our candidate, Mr. Sunday Onajite Idjuku is our councillor candidate for the forthcoming local government election. We are not afraid of any intimidation, harassment or denial of any favour.”

The party leaders, therefore, urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to use his good office to rescue the party and the PDP faithful in Orogun ward 4/8 from political merchants who are now bent on selling the party councillorship ticket to the highest bigger for their selfish interest, against the will of the majority of the party members.