The Delta state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), may have sunk deeper in crisis, barely one week to the party’s nationwide state congresses, as the Leaders’ Council of the party on Sunday called on the APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) to annul its recent ward and local government area congresses in the state.
The Council in a communiqué released to newsmen in Abuja after its expanded meeting, insisted that a fresh and all-inclusive ward and local government area congresses should be organised instead before the state congress that is billed for Saturday, 16, October.
It would be recalled that the Delta state APC has not been in crisis for a long time following sharp disagreement between the faction led by Deputy Senate president, Ovie Omo – Agege and the faction led by Minister of state for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo and former governorship candidate, Great Ogboru .
The leaders noted in their communiqué that congresses should engender cohesion, inclusiveness and growth in the party through popular election of leaders or consensual production of its functionaries.
The communiqué was jointly signed by Festus Keyamo, the Council’s chairman and Minister of State for Labour and Employment; Alex Ideh, its Co-Chairman and Cairo Ojougboh, Secretary of the Council.
Others who signed it are Great Ogboru, 2019 APC Delta governorship candidate, Victor Ochei, former Speaker, Delta House of Assembly, Mariam Ali and Monday Igbuya, also former Speaker, Delta House of Assembly.
Richard Odibo. Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Terry Okorodudu, leader APC Delta South, Eugene Okolocha, and Joel-Onowakpo Thomas also endorsed the communiqué.
“We state and affirm here that there was no acceptable congress in Delta APC.
“We have previously heard through the grapevine that the entire state structure would be taken by an agent of the CECPC and that we can complain or go to court.
“The CECPC may have been misled, but we believe that justice will eventually prevail and they cannot befuddle the people of Delta.’’ it said.
It recalled that the foundation and fulcrum of the APC were laid and built on integrity and progressive politics which President Muhammadu Buhari epitomised, warning that the CECPC could not divorce itself from these tenets of democracy.
“Accordingly, we call on the CECPC to annul whatever it may be regarding as ward and local government area congresses in Delta, and organise fresh, all-inclusive congresses.
“This is the irreducible minimum for the teeming members of our party to work with the CECPC to take our party forward,’’ it stated.
The Council assured APC members in the state that it would work to enthrone justice and fairness in the state to ensure equity for all members, adding that it was the height of arbitrariness and arrogance for one person to claim to have zoned the party positions for the whole state ahead of the state congress.
