Politicians who are nursing an end to the crisis tearing the Delta state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) apart may be building castles in the air as available facts are indicative that the battle of supremacy between Great Ovedje Ogboru and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on one hand and Otega Emerhor, acclaimed leader of the party in the state may continue unabated.
Prior to the state congress that the national headquarters moved to Monday May 21, the party has been embroiled in internal squabbles during the ward and local government congresses, leading to the production of different result sheets and the death of a ward chairmanship aspirant in Ughelli south local government area of the state, one Jeremiah Oghoveta.
The Legend reports that although the national secretariat of the party had called for the postponement of the state party congress which held on Saturday across the country to Monday, May 21, the Omo-Agege faction, in defiance to the directive of the national headquarters headed by John Oyegun, went ahead, organized factional state congress in Asaba and elected state executive members where the incumbent chairman, Jones Erue, was returned unopposed.
The factional state congress which held at St Molumba College Okpanam, Oshimili north local government area of the state, commenced some minutes past 1pm when the fleets of convoy of the Senator Omo-Agege and Great Ogboru in the company of the state congress chairman, Senator Gbenga Obadara led by several vehicles loaded with security agents armed to the teeth, in a blaring siren, stormed the venue of the congress.
The Legend who was on ground saw large crowd who are loyalists of the two bigwigs of the party drawn from different local government area of the state, who teamed up with the two chieftains to undermine the authority of the national headquarters.
While the school premises remained very rowdy, the congress chairman announced an affirmation of 35 man executives for Delta at the congress which took barely 20 minutes to conclude. The executives announced include the incumbent chairman, Prophet Jones Ode Erue, returned as the Delta state chairman of the party while Comrade Chidi Okonji, from Oshimil South emerged as secretary.
The position of legal adviser of the party went to Barr. Valentine Onojeghuo, while the treasurer and youth leader went to Comrade Chuks Erhire and Christopher Agali respectively. Theodore Ezonfade, financial secretary; Engr. Precious Enunwonye, Welfare secretary; Godwin Okpor, Auditor; Mr. Felix Okpako Publicity Secretary; Dr. Mrs. Janet Ayubu, Woman Leader among others.
However, the congress was in deviance to its postponement by the national working committee of the All Progressive Congress. The NWC of the party had rescheduled the congress till Monday, May 21, 2018 following an alleged attempt to compromise the process by the chairman of the committee which was uncovered.
The national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a letter has notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its decision to reschedule its state congress for Delta state for Monday, May 21, 2018.
The party, in a letter, with reference number APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/018/12, 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 read “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’, it said.
The Legend gathered that the national working committee of the party decided to postpone and reschedule the state congress in the state because plans to compromise the congress committee were uncovered.
It would be recalled that the process, right from the ward congresses, had been in danger of illegal compromises and rigging, a situation which led to the sack of the first chairman of wards and local government congress committee, Alhaji Sani Dododo.
Although leaders of the party from across the state, including seven governorship aspirants, had agreed to compiling unity list to put an end to squabbles among various interests in the state and avert further violent activities, some elements within the party still attempted to sabotage the local government congresses in the state by conducting parallel congresses. The parallel congresses were, however, rejected.