The daughter of James Ibori, a former governor of Delta State, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, has again opened up about leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Erhiatake, a lawmaker of House of Representatives said she left the party because it nearly claimed her life.

She dumped the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside other lawmakers in the past week.

Speaking at a constituency empowerment programme where she distributed vehicles, motorcycles, sewing machines, and water pumps, Erhiatake said leaving PDP was the best decision of her life.

Accusing her former party of allegedly attempting to stiffle her political career, Erhiatake said she is grateful she finally left the party.

“We will bury PDP in Ologbo River, the bridge between Delta and Edo States. I am already at home; APC is supreme. The people in PDP wanted to kill my political aspirations, but thank God, I have finally left,” she said.

She further described the former deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, as a “political bulldozer”.

Ahead 2027 election, a member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the Labour Party, Fom Daniel Chollom, on Tuesday announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Chollom, in a letter read during plenary by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, cited the leadership crisis in the LP and his desire to support the President in national development as reasons for his decision.

According to him, the party’s internal conflicts had made it difficult for him to align with any faction, hindering his ability to deliver effective representation.

He said that he has reflected deeply on the leadership crisis in the Labour Party and came to the conclusion that he will better serve the interest of his people within the fold of the All Progressives Congress.

While appreciating the Labour Party for offering him the platform to contest and come to the House, the defector said he was joining the APC to team up with the President to deliver the dividends of democracy to the Nigerian people.

Reacting to the defection, Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi criticized those leaving the Labour Party, labeling them as individuals lacking ideological commitment and calling for Chollom’s seat to be declared vacant.

He said the rate of defection from the Labour Party to the APC was very disturbing, emphasising that there was no leadership crisis in the party.

According to him, the defecting lawmaker used the platform of the party to deny the House the service of some quality lawmakers and yet failed to stay in the party for more than seven months.

“Those defecting are people without ideology. I am worried by the rate of defection when there is no crisis in the Labour Party. I am very sorry for these members and I am very sorry for the APC because you will not earn their trust.

“I want to say that his seat must be declared vacant and we will do everything possible to ensure that is done,” Ozodinobi said.

In the same vein, the Minority Leader, Kingsley China said Chollom has failed to do the needful by first resigning from the Labour Party from his ward, and presenting evidence of such resignation to the House before his letter is read.

Chinda said the House should not be putting the cart before the horse as members should first do the right thing before their letters of defections are read, stressing that in the alternative, the seat of the lawmaker should be declared vacant.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared the federal house of representatives seat of Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of James Ibori, vacant.

Ibori-Suenu, a daughter of Ibori, a former governor of Delta state, announced her defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the PDP on Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP national spokesperson, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct an election to fill her position.

Ologunagba said by her defection, Ibori-Suenu “willfully” vacated the Ethiope east/Ethiope west federal constituency seat which she represents in Delta state.

“Hon. Ibori-Suenu should therefore stop parading herself as a member of the House of Representatives as such would amount to impersonation with likely criminal consequences,” he said.

“The PDP calls on the National Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms to note that Hon. Ibori-Suenu has ceased to be a member of the House of Representatives.

“The PDP is communicating to INEC to, within the Constitutionally stipulated time, conduct fresh election to fill the vacancy which now exists in Ethiope East/Ethiope West Federal Constituency of Delta State as a result of the defection of Hon. Ibori-Suenu to the APC.

Ologunagba said the party has directed the national legal adviser of the PDP to ensure that the “votes and mandate of the people of Ethiope East/Ethiope West Federal Constituency of Delta State, which they freely gave to the PDP are protected.”

TheCable

The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has declared that the days of his enemies are numbered amid the ongoing political crisis in the state.

Fubara, who spoke on Friday while inaugurating the remodelled Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) in Ahoada, insisted that enemies would never last forever.

The governor was also decorated with a chieftaincy title of Eze Eyawe Ugo of Ekpeye land (King of Peace and Eagle of Ekpeye land) by the Eze Ekpeye Logbo, on behalf of the Ekpeye ethnic nationality.

He recalled that the King of Ekpeye Kingdom was arrested and kept in police custody for about four months saying it was because of the monarch’s support for his administration.

He said his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, was also hunted and declared wanted by the police to reduce the influence of his camp in the ongoing political power tussle.

The governor said for standing with his administration, his government would grant the requests of the Ekpeye Kingdom and other traditional rulers, who demanded the recognition of their stools.

He said: “I feel for this great kingdom. When the Eze Ekpeye was talking a lot of you don’t understand what happened. Because of their support for me he was arrested, charged for false accusations and detained in police custody for more than four months, himself and Cassidy.

” We are not even talking about my Chief of Staff. Because of the support that he has publicly displayed, he was even declared wanted so that may be they can reduce our influence. But the truth is always very clear.

“Enemy has a time. This thing cannot last forever and I can assure you with all boldness today that they are gradually coming to an end. What we just need is to be patient. We have promised that our approach will be following this process with patience and the fear of God and we will get there”.

The governor said when he inaugurated the 11.8km Okehi-Umuola-Eberi Link Road, he declared that the road his administration would soon inaugurate at Omuma would be the only project in the council for eight years of the past administration.

He said: “A few days later, those people, who felt the only way that they can survive is social media and to sell dogs; I wonder why you will go to school, your parents will spend money and the only profession you choose is to be a data boy and to sell dogs.

“If they love you the appointment they gave to one boy, I don’t want to call where he is from, and you were good, why didn’t they give you the appointment? Go and check yourself something is wrong with you.

“It is not about coming to abuse people, think about your life, are you living a quality life? Even if you are asked to abuse people at times you say what will people talk about me knowing truly that what you are talking is not true?

“I stand here to say that even if there was a project commissioned at that time, it was a farm road that has no connection to anything. The project we are commissioning has significance and that is what we should be talking about.

“It is not going to do one useless project and you call people. We are talking about projects that will add value to the lives of the people that you have decided to govern with the support of your people.

“So, we will not celebrate things that will not make meaning, that is why we are here today to inaugurate this special school for people that are going to be mothers to this great nation, people that will be wives to great men and if you don’t produce a quality girl-child it means the nation is gone. So you can see and everybody can attest that we are strategic. It is not just doing but doing what is right”.

The governor said he was overwhelmed with joy to celebrate a project that was not associated to vindictiveness, adding that the school project was awarded before he assumed office but was not funded by the last administration.

Noting that he did not know the contractors, the governor said his interest in educational development compelled him to invite and release money to them to complete the project instead of changing the contractors.

“I can say that that should speak to the kind of person that is leading this State.
I assure our people that we will not do anything that we cannot stand and be proud of ourselves”, he said.

Fubara announced the termination of an internal road project awarded in the area to an unknown loyalist of his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Addressing the crowd before revoking the project, he said: “As for the internal roads and other things, you already know the story. The person the job was given to, a wonderful young man, but doesn’t have the boldness to look at the truth and tell the person the thing you are doing is bad.

“So, I feel it will be wrong for me to continue to sponsor somebody, who has come openly to declare himself an enemy of state. So, that project I believe the ministry of works must have written to them, I am going to cancel it officially and re-award it for its completion”.

The governor asked the people to pray for his government to get more money to enable him complete part of the road and the bridge leading to the community.

He commended the people of Ekpeye and the Ahoada East for supporting his administration and publicly identifying with his government.

Reciprocating the gesture, he said: “We will support you with everything that we have got. We will make sure that your son who decided to follow us, he will be honoured. What he will attract to you this is just the beginning but I have an appeal.

“Be peace loving, avoid anything that will give the enemies the opportunity to attack any of you.I know they are always looking for something to attack you, but please don’t give them the opportunity. We are entering into the festive period enter it with all amount of joy knowing well that our government has its mantra, Peoples First”.

On the chieftaincy title bestowed on him by the kingdom, the governor promised to live up to the symbol of the title, eagle.

“Eagle is a strong bird even in the face of frustration you can see that we are still flying and flying well. We will continue to make you happy and we will bring honour to you”, he said.

Describing the project, Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ovy Orliudeye Chukwuma, commended Fubara for completing the remodelled school and his other investments in education.

He said the project was executed by three contractors and that the school has 24 classrooms, laboratories for Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Agriculture and Information Technology as well as a modern assembly hall.

He said the school was built with two blocks of two bedroom flats for the two principals, one for the Senior Secondary and the other for the Junior Secondary as well as for the vice-principals of both sections.

On his part the Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Chibudom Ezu thanked Fubara for remodeling of the Government Girls Secondary School, Ahoada and for embarking on other ongoing projects.

He appealed to the governor to extend the remaining one kilometer old Port Harcourt road to the area.

Ezu also pleaded with Fubara to reactivate the Ahoada Industrial Park to create business opportunities and jobs for the teeming youths of the state.

Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor Chief James Ibori and a member of the House of Representatives, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a letter dated Thursday, December 5, and addressed to the PDP Chairman of the Ethiope West Council area, Ibori-Suenu cited exclusion by the Delta state chapter of the party as the reason for her resignation.

The letter, titled “Notice of Resignation of Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu as Member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” stated: “Please be informed that by this notice I formally resign as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect. I surrender my attached Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] Membership Card, with membership number 0777144 in furtherance of my complete dissociation and disengagement from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

Ibori-Suenu explained that her resignation was due to her complete exclusion by the State chapter of the party and the ongoing national leadership crisis, which has divided the party into implacable camps.

As plenary resumes at the House of Representatives on Thursday, four lawmakers of the Labour Party (LP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

They are Esosa Iyawe (Edo), Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Matthew (Kaduna) and Bassey Akiba (Cross River).

Also, a lawmaker, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu (Delta), dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC.

The now former Labour Party lawmakers cited division within their party as the main reason for their defection.

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