The South-South Vanguard of the Peoples Democratic Party (SSV-PDP) has warned a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, to desist from insulting the person of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta governor and vice-presidential candidate of the PDP.

The SSV-PDP, a coalition of young members of the PDP with focus on grassroots mobilisation and membership drive within the South-south zone, said George’s recent utterance in which he tagged Okowa an apprentice politician is in bad taste and unbecoming of a party elder.

Zonal coordinator of the group, Mr. Alfred Eboziem, in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday, faulted claims by George that Okowa is fighting with Chief James Ibori hence there was division in Delta PDP, saying such inference is untrue.

“We want to place on record that there is no division in Delta PDP. Governor Okowa as the leader of the party in the state is working effectively with the state party leadership and all the structures up to ward levels. George cannot sit in Lagos and be imagining a non-existent dogfight within the party in Delta.

“By his utterance, he showed a clear lack of understanding of politics in Delta and the south-south zone. We advise Chief George to concentrate on building a strong PDP in the south west, a duty he has over the years failed to discharge hence the poor showing of the party in the zone, particularly in Lagos State where he hails from,” the group said.

“We are particularly miffed by the misguided statement credited to Chief George in which he referred to Chief Ibori as Okowa’s political leader and benefactor. This shows that Chief George has no knowledge of Delta politics and the role Okowa played right from the founding of the party in the state. For the avoidance of doubt, Ibori is not Okowa’s benefactor and Okowa is not anybody’s political godson.

“If anything, Okowa and Ibori are friends and contemporaries, and it shows in the mutual respect they show to each other to the acclamation and admiration of other politicians in the state. Both share a friendship that transcends the realm of partisan politics. It’s a friendship that has survived treachery and mischief of politicians. An elder like George should not join such mob of mischief makers.

“It is therefore an insult on Okowa to refer to Ibori as his benefactor. Okowa’s political trajectory as an exceptionally brilliant medical doctor who started out his political journey as Local Government Secretary, LG Chairman, commissioner, Secretary to State Government, Senator, Governor and now vice presidential candidate of the PDP places him above any politician in Delta and therefore, he deserves some respect from the likes of George.

“Members of Delta PDP have a saying: ‘Okowa is our leader, anywhere Okowa goes, there we will go’. This is the situation in Delta and it cannot change, either by mischief or coercion,” the group said.