There is “no turning back” on the petition for a gubernatorial election that Chief Kenneth Gbagi, the Social Democratic Party’s candidate for governor in the state, submitted before the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, according to the Delta State Chapter of the party.
This was stated in a three-point resolution that the SDP’s newly-established 12-member Caretaker Committee in Delta State, led by Mrs. Esther Ikule, approved at the conclusion of its inaugural meeting, which took place on Saturday at the party’s Delta Central Secretariat on the Warri-Sapele Road.
The Caretaker Committee gave Chief Kenneth Gbagi, the party’s candidate for governor of Delta State, a vote of confidence in the resolution, which was jointly signed by Mrs. Ikule and Mr. Enebraye Kembigha, the positions of Chairman and Secretary, and guaranteed that the committee would support Gbagi in pursuing his mandate at the Governorship Election Tribunal until justice was served in the case.
The resolution read partly, “At no time did the SDP executive in Delta State before it was dissolved by the NWC on May 2, 2023, met, discuss, and agreed to write a letter dissociating the SDP in Delta with the election petition filed by Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi.”
“Therefore, any purported letter signed by the former Chairman, Mr Oke Idawene, is not authorised. It is fake, it is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”
The Delta SDP Caretaker Committee thanked Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, the party’s national chairman, and the NWC “for the excellent leadership, direction and support in steering the Delta State Chapter of the party to overcome the current challenges.”
The party’s National Vice Chairman, South-South, Fred Owotorufa, had earlier urged the newly established 12-member SDP Delta Caretaker Committee to “re-organise and re-position the party in the State and also recruit fresh members, especially youths, in all Wards and Local Governments across the state.”
The National Working Committee Vice Chairman stated that the inauguration followed the dissolution of the party’s Delta State Executive, led by Mr. Oke Idawene, last Tuesday “following its inability to resolve the protracted crisis within the party in the state.”
Owotorufa said that, in accordance with the SDP Constitution and Electoral Act 2022, the Caretaker Committee has 90 days to complete its task after which the party’s State Congress will be held to elect a new Executive Council.
He said that the NWC had chosen the new members of the Caretaker Committee based on their “wide experience, competence, character, and good team spirit.”
He tasked the members of the caretaker committee with cooperating “to plant the party positively in the consciousness of Delta State and Nigerians.”
In addition, he advised the committee members to constantly reach a consensus on issues and to stick with their plans, warning against any factions in their work.
“Party interest must be supreme. Loyalty to the Party and the Governorship Candidate/Leader must be uppermost. Eschew bitterness at all times. Do not work in isolation or at cross-purposes. Avoid undercutting one another. Together, you should strive to grow the party and also, grow with the party,” he stated.
Owotorufa enjoined the Caretaker Committee members to “embark on aggressive membership recruitment into the party, especially youth and women,” saying that this must be daily, and continuous.
“It must be at all levels of the Unit, Ward, LGA and the state. Come to every nook and cranny – the marketplaces, schools, buses, eateries, workplaces, business environments, the church and mosque,” he emphasised.