By Victor Otigbu

Warri—Former Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture, Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, during Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan administration, Misan Ukubeyinje, has said pressure from Itsekiri leaders and politicians from his constituency, forced him into the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and has decided to leave the PDP and join the progressives now that there is no more pressure from any group or individuals.

Speaking against the background of allegations from the PDP state Chairman in Delta State, Chief Edwin Uzor, that he left out of frustration and inability to get appointed into any political office in the present Governor Okowa’s administration, he faulted the allegations that he left the PDP in the wake of new appointment by Governor Okowa, saying that appointments were still ongoing in the state.

The two time House of Assembly Member and two time Commissioner, said his credibility, integrity, credentials, political sagacity and intelligence were what stood him out for appointment and not because he went out to lobby anybody for any positions.

Ukubeyinje claimed the Delta State PDP Chairman, was a political neophyte that was handpicked by the former Chairman, Chief Tony Nwaoboshi.

According to him, “having served as a legislator, Commissioner for Agriculture and later Lands, Surveys and Urban Development to the end of the Uduaghan administration, no reasonable politician can tell me that I left the PDP out of frustration. With the first steps taken by Governor Okowa and the ways he goes about making his appointment, I know the PDP has lost its focus and it is time to quit as a progressive to join the forces of change at the centre.

He added that he wanted to be a catalyst of change from the PDP to APC in Delta State in the next election, so that the desired dividend of change would cascade down from the centre to Delta State.