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Chief (Mrs) Nkem Okwuofu addressing Aniocha North PDP leaders at the reconciliation meeting.
Hon. Emeka Nwaobi speaking at the Aniocha North PDP leaders’ reconciliation meeting.
The balloon of animosity, conflict, quarrels and disunity that held sway among Aniocha North faithful of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was on Sunday, September 27, 2020 deflated, giving way to a new order of reconciliation, peace, unity and friendship.

The leaders of the party in the local government who pledged henceforth to operate in peace and unity of purpose, achieved this feat in the home of their political leader, Chief Nkem Okwuofu at a well attended all inclusive meeting in which she pleaded for total reconciliation oamong feuding forces and an end to bickering and group formations among party’s membership.
Chief (Mrs) Josephine Kachikwu speaking at the Aniocha North PDP leaders’ reconciliation meeting.

In attendance at the meeting was the member representing the constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyin Osuoza, Chairman, Delta State House of Asembly Service Commission, Chief (Mrs) Barrister Ada Kachikwu, former council chairmen, Chief S.P.C Aniamaka and Chief Jaunty Okwudi, incumbent Council chairman, Hon. Chuks Oseme, Chairman, Delta state Waste management Board, Hon. Bazim Chinye, former party chairmen, former councilors among numerous government appointees and party faithful.

Taking the podium to speak, Chief Okwuofu greeted the Aniocha North leaders for their prompt response to her invitation and for attending the meeting in large numbers, saying that the meeting was born out of God’s inspiration to bring the people of Aniocha North Local Government PDP together in one fold and unity.
Chief Jaunty Okwudi(middle) and other leaders.

She disclosed that although the former Deputy Governor of the State, Chief Benjamin Elue, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, former member of the House of Representatives, Prince Ned Nwoko, Mr Dumebi Kachikwu and Prof. Sylvester Monye were unavoidably absent at the meeting, pointing out that they had already given their approval and their blessing for the meeting.

“Every single one of them prayed and affirmed that it is high time for peace to reign in the party. His Excellency, the Governor and the State Chairman of our party are fully aware of our gathering today,” she said.

Recalling an encounter with God about eight days ago, she said: “God told me that I have not done what I created you for, to bring the people together in unity; that Aniocha North should wake up and embrace peace and unity.”

The notable politician who is fondly called Agwunwanyi, (the Lioness) while informing the audience of the reason for calling the meeting said: ““God told me that I have not done what I created you for, to bring the people together in unity; that Aniocha North should wake up and embrace peace and unity.”
Chief Okwuofu called on the leaders for their support towards bringing lasting reconciliation, peace and unity to the Aniocha North PDP family. “It is the season of togetherness, unity and love in Aniocha North,” she said, pointing out that politics is a phenomenon that harbours the incompatibles, even as such incompatibles have their relevance and therefore should be accommodated.

The Aniocha North PDP leader said: “We don’t want groups anymore,” with a call on party faithful in the LGA to allow issues to be settled internally whenever issues arise. “I appeal and plead with us from the bottom of my heart that we end cleavages and groupings in our local government and embrace peace, togetherness and unity,” she said.
Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, Delta PDP State Publicity Secretary (middle), with Mr. Chuks Oseme, Aniocha North Council Chairman, left and another leader at the reconciliation meeting.

Okwuofu continued: “ Enough is enough; no more groupings in Aniocha North. The issues of disagreements, conflicts and animosity should come to an end. Issues when they arise should be directed to appropriate leaders in the locality. Let’s work together and collectively as this will assist us in working as an indivisible entity and winning elections. Let’s honour and respect our leaders. Let’s observe and respect hierarchy in leadership because there is hierarchy.

She called on the leaders to avoid anointing aspirants, but that leaders should be patriotic enough to look for the best among aspirants in any given situation that will better perform the functions of an office and collectively push forward one after critical assessment who in their view is the most viable material for the position for general support for Aniocha North Local Government chairmanship. “ We want humble, respectable and loyal persons who will appreciate hierarchy in leadership, not bigots and antagonists,” she said.

She announced that although the council elections are not holding this year, but that already, no fewer than 13 aspirants are jostling for the elective position of council chairman that would be filled by just one person. She called on the leaders to put heads together without division and bring out who in their wisdom is the most viable material to fill the position of Aniocha North Council chairman.

“What we don’t want aspirants to do is that they must not drop names as they go about soliciting for support for their ambitions. Anyone who drops name shows that such an aspirant is is irresponsible and so cannot be trusted.,” Chief Okwuofu said.

She called on leaders not to anoint any aspirant, but leave the aspirants to be individualistic and slug it out and that no aspirant should be anointed. “It is to create a level playing field for all the aspirants,” she said, adding: “I plead with leaders also not to instigate aspirants into unnecessary spending. It is part of the issue causing problems among the leaders in Aniocha North.”
A cross section of participants at the Aniocha North PDP leaders’ reconciliation meeting.

Speaking, the Chairman, Delta State House of Assembly Service Commission, Chief (Mrs) Josephine Ada Kachikwu expressed gratitude and commended Chief Okwuofu for calling the meeting of leaders. Acknowledging Okwuofu as her leader, Mrs. Kachikwu said: “I am a lover of peace; I cherish peace. I don’t belong to any group and I have no group.”

She pleaded with the younger generation to allow her and Chief Okwuofu to enjoy their old age in peace by not bringing to them issues of conflict. She called on those she may have offended in any way to forgive her even as she said she does not carry grudges for long as she also has learnt to forgive easily.

Speaking, the member representing Aniocha North in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, who did a content analysis of Chief Okwuofu’s submissions said he was convinced about the genuineness of her intentions as a mother she spoke from her heart. “I am in total support of all her submissions. Therefore, I, on behalf of the good people of Aniocha North who I represent, I declare an end to all conflicts and groupings.

Quoting from the gospel to underscore the need for forgiveness, Nwaobi on his knees acknowledged just like Chief Okwuof and Chief Kachikwu that they are not saints and asked to be forgiven for possible wrongs done to anyone, also asked to be forgiven of any wrong doing he may have done to anybody. “I ask for forgiveness from those who I may have offended,” he said. And in unison, the audience chorused that he should step up as his penitence was accepted.

Hon. Nwaobi then requested that all other leaders should replicate what Chief Okwuofu did by calling reconciliation meeting in their various localities so as to drive the issue of reconciliation, peace and unity in the party trickle down in the local government to the grassroots.

While Chief SPC Aniamaka commended Chief Okwuofu for the meeting, Chief jaunty Okwudi who also did the same, called for total reconciliation and an end to all animosity. He said: “Animosity should come to an end today; that we should engage in the show of true love.” Okwudi called the accommodation of all those who once strayed away from the PDP in the local government to other parties, but who have retraced their steps back to PDP should no longer be discriminated against during PDP meeting at all levels.

The former council chairman said doing so will finally give serious expression to the decision to reconcile and accommodate everyone and it will be a mark of genuine reconciliation, peace and unity.
Answering questions from journalist shortly after the meeting, Chief Okwuofu said: “By all justification, I’m qualified to call for this meeting. Everybody sees me as the mother of everybody and indeed I am. I have looked at it and said I have failed in my duty by not bringing my people together. As a mother it is necessary to do that because where I am going to is closer than where I am coming from. I needed to get my people together.

“They are my brothers and sisters. Within one week, I called for this meeting. I call it an all-inclusive meeting, bringing all of them together from all sides. Aniocha North must wake up and embrace peace. There must be peace, unity and loyalty to the party. Governor Okowa, having helped us this much, if we are not together, we cannot follow him properly.

“From today, we have resolved that there will be no other group in Aniocha North, no other meeting in Aniocha North. Apart from the party executives calling meetings, I’m the only one now entitled to call everybody together, address and speak to everybody in the capacity of a leader.

“This was overwhelmingly accepted by everybody. They recognized me as the leader of the local government. Everybody is now back together. And I know that today we will all go home and sleep very well. No leader is to call any meeting, no executive is to lead any aspirant, any community that has more than one aspirant, they are to present the most sellable one.

“Nobody is to meddle in any other person’s ward. We don’t want any of our chairmanship aspirants to drop any name; this one or that one has endorsed. We need to produce the best that can compete with any other chairman anywhere in the state. Not because somebody is backing him or parading him. We won’t accept that,” she declared.

Hon. Nwaobi also told journalists that he was totally in support of all the submissions of Chief Okwuofu, adding that prior to the peace meeting, there had been no peace in the local government area.

He commended Okwuofu for the initiative, saying: “she decided to call for this meeting to bring everybody together to preach peach and admonish everyone that from today, there is no more segregation. This is an initiative that we have all agreed to accept. It is a welcome development. It is an initiative that we have never had in the past.

“I strongly believe that she spoke from the depth of her heart that she genuinely wants peace. I am an advocate of peace. We will all do everything within our capacity to ensure this peace which has begun today is sustained and there will be no issues anymore.

“I am very happy and on behalf of the entire people of Aniocha North, I wish to appreciate her for presenting herself as an instrument to be used by God to initiate what has just happened today. The sermon here was geared towards bringing lasting peace to Aniocha North. I pray that God will help us to sustain the peace initiative that has just begun today.

“I had said in my speech that the leaders should go back to their wards and replicate what has happened and preach the same sermon so that what happened today will trickle down to the grassroots. By so doing, the message of today will go to the grassroots.

“There is no more faction in Aniocha North. We have become one from today. We no longer have any group in Aniocha North other than the party. We have all resolved to be one and have dropped factions in the party.”

Roll Call at the meeting:

1. Chief Nkem Okwuofu

2. Chief Barr. Ada Josephine Kachikwu

3. Hon. Engr. Emeka Nwaobi

4. Mr. Chuks Nwaebuni

5. Hon Ifeanyi Eguwnyanga

6. Hon. Chuks Oseme

7. Hon. Charles Ochei

8. Hon. Emma Chinye

9. Chief Emma Eboh

10. Chief Dan Okenyi

11. Hon. Jaunty Okwudi

12. Prince Victor Egbune

13. Barr. Andrew Odum

14. Chief Ifeanyi Nwaozo

15. Chief Val Okafor

16. Mr Paul Nmah

17. Chief Andy Offor

18. Dr. Henry Emelue

19. Dr. Michael Ifeanyi Osuoza

20. Chief Cal Nwawolo

21. Chief Kress Njiokwuemeni

22. Hon. Tobi Ukwumedua

23. Hon. Okonkwo

24. Hon S.P.C. Aniamake

25. Hon. Afam Anyasi

26. Chief Sam Oleleh

27. Chief Ifeanyi Adegwu

28. Hon Ego Julius

29. Mrs. Dorothy Udeh

30. Mr. Ik Uwagwu

31. Princess Tina Amuziam

32. Chief Ayo Momah