The proposed merger between the governorship flag bearer of the Labour Party in Delta state, Chief Great Ogboru, and the All Progressives Congress’ candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, on Tuesday hit the rocks.
The duo of Ogboru and Emerhor had plotted to forge a common front against Senator Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party before their plans collapsed.
The contenders met at the popular Orchid Hotel, Asaba, but could not reach a compromise.
The demands of Ogboru, The Eagle Online gathered, scared Emerhor away from the meeting.
They both swung into the meeting shortly after participating in a workshop put together by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Asaba, with the topic: “INEC Select-Stakeholders Emergency Meeting.”
The stalemate, disclosed an insider at the meeting, forced Ogboru to bid Emerhor: “To your tent oh, Israel.”
Ogboru allegedly insisted that Emerhor should step down for him since he is enjoying more popularity across the state, but Emerhor said no, maintaining that his party now has a national outlook with General Muhammadu Buhari at the helms of affairs of the country.
The source further disclosed: “If Ogboru had accepted the offer, he would have been brought before the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, and other leaders of APC who are on their way to Imo State today (Tuesday) to make demand on what he wants to get in return.
“Didn’t you can see the manner in which the contenders left the hotel premises? Is that not an indication of a stalemate? If things had worked out, they would have briefed you people.
“The meeting ended in gridlock since Ogboru urged Emerhor to step down for him and promised to decamp to APC immediately after his swearing-in but the later refused.”
Lending his voice to the deadlocked meeting, the state Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, Comrade Emmanuel Odafe Igbini, in a signed position statement, disclosed that Ogboru had earlier informed him that Emerhor has started scheming round the state on the merger stuff.
According to Igbini, Ogboru had vowed never to step down for anybody, talk less of Emerhor who joined the politics of the state less than three years ago.
He said: “In fact he (Ogboru) was visibly angry and accused Chief Oghenetega Emerhor as sponsoring such rumours to mislead Deltans. Ogboru also insisted that he is the duly adopted candidate of the Urhobo Progress Union for the April 11 governorship election in the state.”
While Igbini called on Deltans to be very vigilant and reject any antics of division being sponsored by desperate politicians in the state, he condemned the reported actions of some supporters, which he said “are capable of overheating the polity.
“I warned them to immediately stop these rumours and falsehoods lest Deltans shall be mobilized against them since their individual interests must not override the collective interest of Delta State.”