Former Governor James Ibori has been mounting surreptitious pressure on
the new Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff
Oboriowori to resign his position for the return of former Speaker Chief
Monday Igbuya, Pointblanknews.com investigation has revealed.
Igbuya was last week impeached as Speaker of the Delta House of Assembly
over allegations of highhandedness and poor leadership style. He was
immediately replaced by Chief Oboriowori from Okpe Constituency.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that since the emergence of Chief
Oboriowori as the new speaker, some politicians in the state loyal to
former Governor Ibori have been feeling unease. They allege that it
amounted to a slap on the political family of Ibori should Igbuya remain
impeached.
While Chief Ibori is considered in Delta State as a political leader and
king maker, Igbuya is considered one of “Ibori Boys” in Delta Politics, a
source told Pointblanknews.com.
The source further added that Chief Ibori in several overtures to Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa made serious case for the return of Igbuya as Speaker.
According to the source, “yes Chief Ibori has been talking to Okowa to
persuade Sheriff to step down for Igbuya to return. You know Igbuya is one
of Ibori’s boys and that does not sound well if he allows his impeachment
to stay.”
Pointblanknews.com gathered that with Igbuya out as Speaker, Chief Ibori
fears that his political influence in the Okowa’s Government has been
removed. Even though the new Speaker is a loyal political son of the
former Governor, he is not as trusted as Igbuya, a source said.
Governor Okowa on the other hand, is said to be threading with care as he
would not want to be seen rocking the boat and end up sacrificing more
than he can in the ongoing issues in the Assembly.
The source added that the fears now is that members have insisted on
Oboriowori who they believe has the leadership capacity to reposition the
House and deliver quality legislations for the state development.
The source added that any attempt to force Oboriowori out as Speaker can
cause a major implosion in the State House of Assembly.
“Mark my word, if they continue piling pressure on the speaker to resign,
they are inviting a major crisis that would implode the politics of
Delta,” the source who is knowledgeable with the issues told
Pointblanknews.com.
Oboriowori after being sworn-in as Speaker, promised to adhere strictly to
the rules of the House, noting that as the first among equals he would
accord every member his due respect and thereafter announced the
dissolution of all standing committees of the House.