The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has debunked insinuations that governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party were the ones behind the court case instituted to oust the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.
Uduaghan said: “There is no iota of truth in the allegation.”
Speaking with journalists in Asaba, Delta State capital, over the weekend, Uduaghan stated: “Our chairman was once a governor, our senior colleague of whom we are very proud.
“As for arm-twisting the PDP national chairman and court case, what I can say is that I don’t know of any governor who is behind the court case.
“And we feel sad because my colleagues and I are talking.
“We feel sad because the party’s national chairman was a one-time governor for two terms.
“So he is our senior colleague in terms of governorship.
“That people are subjecting him to the kind of thing that is happening, we feel sad that he is going through this kind of embarrassment.
“In fact, two weeks ago, there was an alarm that he has been taken to court in Delta State but of course there was no record that he was taken to court here.
“It is a kind of propaganda to pit the governors against the PDP national chairman.
“The national chairman has been a governor before and we are proud that he understands some of the things we are going through.
“I can assure you that the PDP governors are totally working with the national chairman.”
On the allegation that the governors were playing god in the party, Uduaghan said he does not think so.
He said the party’s structure puts some responsibilities on the governors’ shoulders that make them very visible in the scheme of things.
He said: “I don’t think the governors are playing God.
“The party’s structure puts a lot of responsibilities on governors in terms of organising the party at the state level, in terms of funding the party and of course in terms of ensuring that the party wins at the state level.
“And if you expect me to win for the party at the state, as a governor, I must be interested in who is running for which seat.
“It must be someone that the party can market to win elections.
“And it is not an individual thing, really.
“It is a party thing.
“Who becomes the party’s governorship candidate?
“It is the party at the state level that will decide.
“Who goes into the House of Assembly?
“I came back to Asaba at about 3am because we had to look at all the aspirants running for the House of Assembly.
“Together with leaders in the local government, till the early hours of this morning, we looked at the aspirants.
“We were doing horse-trading and eventually we narrowed it down to two.
“So, the two of them are going into the field this morning.
“And when I leave here now, I’m going to vote because I’m entitled to vote.
“So, one of them will be our party’s flag bearer for the local government election.
“And most local governments are also doing it too.”
On the imposition of candidates by governors, Uduaghan said: “The governors cannot really impose candidates.
“What really happens is that when people are not able to get their ways, the easiest person they can blackmail is the governor.”