PDP takes over Sapele: Anirah dumps APC, joins PDP …As Igbuya set to defects to APC

Ahead of 2019 general election, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta central, in a strategic move has brought back to its fold Chief Felix Anirah, an APC chieftain and the only visible opposition figure in Sapele local government area.

ADVOCATE, can authoritatively report that Chief Anirah will formally join the PDP fold on 28^th December, a move many political observers in Sapele and its environs say will deflects the APC attempt to control the politics of Sapele and cement PDP hold on the town.

Chief Anirah, a former Sapele LG chairman and the House of Assembly candidate of the APC in the 2015 election is considered by political pundits as a strong opposition force, being a grassroot politician with huge youth fellowship.

In a related development, the leadership of the All Progressive Congress, APC in a daft move has also completed plans for the defection of the embattled former speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Monday Igbuya to the APC.

The move according to a reliable source at the APC National Headquarters,’ the move was brokered by some Chief James Ibori’s loyalist in the APC who wants to postion Igbuya as a running mate to a Delta North APC governorship candidate.

Our source added; “the calculation is that with Igbuya as a running mate, it will assuage the Okpe’s to vote for the APC, considering the fact that Igbuya has a considerably force in Sapele and Okpe politics.”

He stated also that Igbuya may not leave the PDP soon to avoid been recalled by the PDP leaders in Sapele who are using state machineries to reduce Igbuya’s political influence in Sapele.

However, with Anirah’s defection to the PDP, and the coming back into politics by Chief Charles Obule, the political structure of Sapele is now firmly in the hands of PDP, as there is no other viable opposition figure that can pull a stunt that Anirah pulled in 2015.

ADVOCATE investigation revealed that PDP leaders in Delta central used Anirah’s friends, particularly Chief Charles Obule, Senator Emmanuel Agwviarawodo and the Secretary to Delta State Government, Hon. Ovie Agas and many others to persuade him to come back to the party.

Our investigations further revealed that the Anirah might have left following unending leadership crisis in Delta APC, lack of party cohesion and sense of direction, with different pressure groups pursuing individual’s agenda to the detriment of the party.  

According a political associate of the state PDP chairman, Chief Kingsley Esiso, who spoke to us in confidence, he said that with the coming back of Chief Anirah to PDP, the party will not feel the effect of Igbuya’s defection to APC.

“With Obule, Anirah and Akpeki fully back to PDP, Igbuya’s imperial reign have come to an end, we have finally tamed him politically, even if he goes to APC as been speculated, without Chief Anirah in APC; we have naturalized the effects of his defection.”

“Who else is left in the APC in Sapele? We are not talking about making nose on Facebook, politics is local, Chief Ede Dafinone, the presume leader of the party is not on ground, you are a (reporter) did you see any notable figure during APC LG election flag off in Sapele?

“You can’t win election on facebook or in Lagos, let the APC use the local government election to show their stringent,” he charge the party.