The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State has condemned the invasion of its secretariat in Oghara, Ethiope-West LGA, by suspected thugs said to be loyal to Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of ex-governor James Ibori.
Ibori-Suenu recently defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
This is contained in a statement signed by Delta State PDP Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ebenezer Okorodudu, and made available to journalists on Sunday.
“The attention of the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to the unfortunate and unlawful invasion of its party secretariat in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday by thugs believed to be acting on the orders of Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), whereby they converted the building and repainted it with APC colours.
“The PDP views this provocative and disgraceful action as part of a series of desperate attempts by Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, who recently defected to the APC, to appropriate the structures and assets of the PDP for the benefit of her new party.
“This shows that her defection was poorly planned and driven by personal ambition rather than any genuine political ideology.
“Rather than building her own political identity, she has resorted to hijacking the PDP’s established infrastructure, seeking to dress her APC venture in the robes of the PDP’s credibility and legacy.
“This act of theft, conducted in broad daylight, is an affront to the principles of democracy and political decency.
“The PDP will not stand idly by as the integrity of its assets and reputation is undermined by individuals whose political fortunes are tied to opportunism rather than genuine service to the people,” the statement said.
While noting that the PDP is committed to peace and the rule of law as a party, Okorodudu urged members of the party and its supporters to remain calm and peaceful in the face of the provocation.
“We implore our members not to respond to this provocative act with violence or disorder but to remain law-abiding while we pursue appropriate legal remedies.”
Okorodudu also called on former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori’s daughter, Ibori-Suenu and her APC collaborators to stop attempting to gain political relevance by riding on the back of the PDP’s hard-earned reputation.
“If they truly believe in the APC’s vision, they should strive to create their own identity, rather than relying on the PDP’s structures and legacy.
“As a democratic and responsible party, the PDP will always avoid anything that can result in a breach of peace. We call on party faithful to remain peaceful and law-abiding, while urging the decampees to embark on creating their own identity and acceptability instead of hiding behind the PDP’s credibility and popularity.
“Delta State is a peaceful and enlightened society, and we will not allow the forces of political mischief to destabilize the peace in the state.”
Dr. Okorodudu stressed that “The PDP remains committed to upholding the values of democracy, justice, and good governance.”
He also called on security agencies to immediately investigate the incident, identify those responsible, and ensure that they are brought to justice.