Facts are emerging over the controversy that trial the choice of the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Barr. Kingsley Esiso, who was imposed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on the members of PDP from Delta Central Senatorial District, as his academic record at the University of Benin, shows that he is an Itsekiri man.
Esiso local government of origin continues to generate heated debate before and after the state congress that produced him as the state chairman of PDP, a position the leadership of the party zoned to Delta Central senatorial District, however, stakeholders were not allowed to choose who represent the zone.
According a close associate who knew him back then at University of Benin, who spoke to us anonymously alleged that Mr. Kingsley Esiso, is the same as Mr. Kingsley Efejuku, adding that one of his brother “Efejuku” is currently a lecturer at the University.
He noted that the records from UNIBEN shows that Esiso is Efejuku and as such an Itsekiri man and not an Urhobo as presently been claimed by Esiso.
He maintained that; “I can confirm that the so called Kingsley Esiso is actually Kingsley Efejuku. His documents in UNIBEN are very clear. He is a full blooded Itsekiri man. His brother is still a lecturer in UNIBEN though am not a PDP, but I can tell you that the Urhobo is being deceived again.”
It would be recalled that some youths from Ethiope East local government area in a report published in the Vanguard Newspaper, on April 7, 2016 and other newspapers have denounced the claim by Mr. Esiso that he is from Okpara Inland, in Ethiope East LGA.
According to the report; “as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, congresses draw closer, the Ethiope East chapter of Delta Central PDP Youth Movement has accused one of the state chairmanship aspirants, Mr. Kingsley Esiso, of not being an indigene of Okpara Inland.
The group, in a statement by its President, Mr. Philip Omoniorho, described Esiso’s claim to Okpara as the basis of his ambition for the state chairmanship of the party as suspicious, urging him to “pursue his ambition in Sapele where he plays politics and not Ethiope East.”
The statement added; “We are not against Esiso’s ambition but he should go to Sapele Local Government Area where he served as party secretary and held other positions, including his current appointment as Special Adviser to the Governor under Sapele and not Okpara community as he claims.
“Esiso is not a card carrying member in any of the wards in Ethiope East. We see him and those behind this move as fighting Urhobo people and trying to short change us.”
Following his emergency many Urhobos in the PDP have been expressing their frustration as the state governor never allow the zone to choose who the state chairman becomes.
Venting his anger, a chieftain of the PDP from Delta Central who spoke to us in confidence, stated that the choice of Esiso may not be unconnected to the move by Governor Okowa to have a firm control of the party structure ahead of 2019.
He accused Chief James Ibori and Okowa for trying to undermine the Urhobos in the PDP by imposing a weakling that they can control on the Urhobo people.
“I hope Ibori is happy now, he ensured through Governor Okowa that no prominent or patriotic Urhobo son emerged as the PDP chairman; so, that they can control the party. That is how Esiso who they believe will do their bidding was forced down our throat and if you dare complained, you will be starved, am very sad.
“It is a pity that Urhobo nation have become an onlooker in the politics of Delta state, this is also happening at the national level, and it is very unfortunate,” he added.
