Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
There are indications that the crisis rocking the Delta State chapter of the All Progrssives Congress (APC) is far from over as a faction of the party led by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on Saturday held a parallel congress to elect the state working committee despite the postponement of the exercise announced in Abuja earlier.
One Olugbenga presided over the seeming parallel congress on Saturday held at Saint Mulumba Primary/Secondary School, Okpanam, adjoining Asaba, which Omo-Agege insisted was the authentic congress to produce the new Delta State Executive Committee members.
Senator Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central in the Senate, won election into the upper chamber in 2015 on the platform of the Labour Party but later defected to APC.
The senator is working with the 2015 governorship candidate of the APC, Chief Great Ogboru, in an attempt to wrest the state APC leadership from Olorogun O’tega Emerhor who reportedly led both men into the party last year.
The faction, which is believed to have the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, as its major chieftain, on Saturday ignored Friday’s directive of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) for the postponement of the state congress of the party to Monday, May 21.
Nonetheless, the leader of the APC in the state, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, told THISDAY last night that there was no cause for alarm as things would eventually ease up after the state congress on Monday.
Speaking with our correspondent in Asaba, he explained the reasons for the postponement of the congress, noting that it was authorised by the national working committee of the APC and not by a section of the party.
Emerhor said, “Some members of the Congress Panel tried to compromise the delegates list. Time was therefore needed then to validate the list and the panel was reconstituted.”
He however assured that the much-talked-about unity in the APC in Delta State would eventually materialise with a successful congress on Monday. “Unity will come once the valid winner EXCO members emerge.”, Emerhor told THISDAY.
“The NWC had, in a letter on Friday addressed to the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission and signed by APC’s National Secretary, Mr. Mai Mama Buni, confirmed the postponement of the exercise till Monday.
The letter read in part, “We refer to our letter reference No: APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/018/12 dated 27th April, 2018.“We wish to advice that we have rescheduled the conduct of our state congresses in Delta State to Monday 21st May, 2018.â€
The ward congress a fortnight ago was marred by violence in some areas while two lists emerged after the local government congresses a week ago as the group said to be loyal to Omo-Agege also conducted its own exercise in some! parts of the state.
