By Emma Amaize

ASABA—FORMER Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, who is the party’s Delta North senatorial candidate, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi and former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, presently the Accord Party, AP, Delta North senatorial candidate, were at each other’s throats, yesterday, over who gets the mandate of the electorate.

Ochei, who “stepped aside” from the PDP after losing the December 8, 2014 governorship primaries to Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, told Vanguard that Chief Nwaoboshi does not have what it takes to effectively represent Delta North in the Senate.

On how he felt squaring against Nwaoboshi in the senatorial election, Ochei said: “I do not feel anything. He does not have what it takes to effectively represent the people of Delta North.”

On his choice of Accord Party, he said: “Accord Party is more like a party owned by the PDP. I have stepped aside from PDP because I require a platform to contest, not that I have left the PDP.”

He said that his relationship with the PDP governorship standard bearer, Senator Okowa, remained cordial before and after the primaries, adding “I am supporting him for the governorship poll and President Goodluck Jonathan for president. Accord Party does not have governorship and presidential candidates here in Delta State, I am working for them.”

Chief Nwaoboshi was furious when contacted on Ochei’s claim that he was ill-suited to effectively represent the people. He said: “What does he (Ochei) mean that I do not have the capacity to effectively represent the people of Delta North? I am more qualified than he is. I am more educated and you cannot compare both of us. We are not in the same class,” he said.

Ochei hails from Onicha –Olona and Chief Nwaoboshi from Ibusa, both in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.