Parallel executive emerges in Delta APC factional congress

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7 years ago

A parallel state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Asaba, capital of Delta State on Saturday, has returned the incumbent state chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Ode-Erue and a few members of his outgoing executive unopposed.

The parallel state congress was held on Saturday by the Ogboru-Omo-Agege-led faction in alleged defiance to a statement issued on Friday to the effect that the state congress election had been shifted to Monday, May 21.

The Chief John Oyegun-led APC National leadership had made the reschedule following an allegation that the chairman of the State Congress Committee, Senator Olugbenga Obadara had been compromised ab initio.

The national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a letter on Friday, May 18, had informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its decision to shift the state congress to Monday, May 21, however, with no reason advanced.

In the letter, with reference number APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/018/12, duly signed by its National Secretary, Hon. Mai Mala Buni and addressed to the chairman of the INEC, the APC said it found it necessary to reschedule the exercise, which was earlier scheduled for Saturday, May 19, across the country.

The letter, which also called the attention of the Director, EPPM of the INEC to the development, read thus:

“We refer to our letter reference number: APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/018/12 dated 27th April 2018, in respect of the above-mentioned subject and wish to advise that we have rescheduled the conduct of our state congresses in Delta State to Monday 21st May, 2018.

“We thank you for your anticipated cooperation in this regard.”

However, the Ogboru-Omo-Agege faction held its parallel congress conducted by Senator Obadara, the appointed chairman of the State Congress Committee who was earlier reportedly withdrawn by Chief Oyegun when about to board a flight to Asaba on Friday ahead of Saturday’s congress.

It was gathered that the Senator Omo-Agege/Ogboru faction got the withdrawal reverted after securing a directive from the presidency that the Obadara- led State Congress Committee should go ahead to conduct the exercise in Asaba on Saturday.

BigPen Online reported that the Sen. Obadara-led State Congress Committee, which was said to have been inaugurated by the National Chairman, Chief Odigie-Oyegun on Thursday and some officials of INEC, supervised the purported peaceful Congress.

The Congress was reportedly held under heavy security presence while the estranged former deputy state chairman of APC, Chief Cyril Ogodo, who now belongs to the Chief O’tega Emerhor faction, was said to have been replaced by Hon Elvis Ayomanor in the new executive.

Yet-to-be-inaugurated Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSTF) and former Secretary-General of NUPENG, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori and Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie, led the federal government delegation to the Congress.

APC governorship aspirants, Chief Great Ogboru, Netherlands-based Comrade Sunny Ofehe, Chief Iyke Odikpo and Mr Felix Morka were said to be among the dignitaries who stormed the Congress with their followers.

Other governorship aspirants such as former Delta Speaker, Rt Hon Victor Ochie, Hon Cairo Ojuogboh, Osiobe Okotie, Prof. Pat Utomi and Obire Edozien who belong to the Emerhor faction were absent.

The Ogboru-Omo-Agege group is said to enjoy maximum support from the Senator Bola Tinubu/Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led group with the tacit support of the presidency which had not hidden its preference to having Oshiomhole emerge as national chairman of APC.

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On the other hand, the Emerhor-led faction, which has not hidden its disapproval of Chief Jones Erue’s leadership style and craved his replacement, draws its national strength from the outgoing and out-of-favour Chief Odigie-Oyegun-led national leadership of the party.

Chief Oyegun had earlier been allegedly urged by the Emerhor-led faction that the Sen. Obadara-led State Congress Committee, sent to conduct the Delta State APC state Congress, be withdrawn at the dying minute on Friday following alleged compromise.

Both Oyegun and Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, were alleged to be the brain behind the rescheduled State Congress billed for Monday, May 21 which has guided the non-conduct of the Congress by the Emerhor-led faction.