Information filtering in from Delta political circle revealed that the immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has concluded plans to defect from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People Democratic Party (PDP), this newspaper gathered.
Uduaghan who governed the state from 2007 to 2015 under the PDP platform left for the APC in August 2018.
According to authoritative sources, Dr Uduaghan’s decision to return to the PDP is based on months of intense, strategic meetings and lobbying initiated by his predecessor Chief James Onanefe Ibori; his successor and incumbent, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and other leaders of the party in the state and at the national level.
Impeccable sources within the Delta State Government House also confirmed seeing the ex-governor around a couple of times meeting with Governor Okowa and other PDP power brokers in the state.
It was gathered that the misunderstandings which led to the ex-governor’s defection to the APC two years ago had all been resolved hence his readiness to return to strengthen the party.
Confirming the development, a prominent member of the PDP in the state and Uduaghan’s 2007-2015 administration said: “His Excellency, former Governor Uduaghan is joining us (PDP) soon. A big ceremony is being put in place by Governor Okowa to welcome him to the family where he rightly belongs. We are happy that our leader is coming back”, top member of the then Uduaghan’s administration confided in this reporter.
Aside ruling the state for eight years, the former governor served as Secretary to the State Government under the Ibori administration. He was also a former commissioner for health in the state.
The incumbent governor, Okowa also served as Secretary of State to the Uduaghan government before he was elected senator.