Again, Fresh Crisis Tears APC Apart in Delta, Oyo

• Omo-Agege accused of planning to hijack party • Omodewu emerges Oyo chairman amid protest

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Fresh crisis has hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta and Oyo States, forcing prominent leaders in the two chapters to constitute parallel executive committees.

While the new parallel executive committee in Delta State accused the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of attempt to hijack the party, four of the seven members in the committee in Oyo State opted out of the assignment and hurriedly returned to Abuja.

Unlike the case of Delta State, a former Commissioner for Lands and Housing in Oyo State, Mr. Ajiboye Omodewu controversially emerged the Chairman of Oyo APC after the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) deferred it by a fortnight.

A new executive committee emerged in Asaba, Delta State Friday due to factional leaders ascribed to attempt to hijack the party in the state by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Findings revealed that the parallel executive committee emerged to pilot the party following the decision of its key leaders to distance themselves from the October 16 state congress of the APC held in Asaba.

The October 16 congress produced a former chieftain of People Democratic Party (PDP), Omeni Sobotie as the Chairman of Delta APC alongside other officers chosen by voice affirmation.

Among others, Omo-Agege, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and founding leader of Delta APC, Olorigun O’tega Emerhor spearheaded the exercise, which further complicated crisis in the party chapter.

However, a reconciliation committee of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun Committee initiated by the national leadership of the APC Friday announced what it termed “authentic harmonised executive members at the ward, local government and state levels to run the affairs of the party in the state.

The council said in a statement that Delta APC executive officers include a lawyer, Mr Silas Buowe as Chairman; Mr Elvis O. Ayomanor, (Deputy Chairman); and Comrade Chidi Okonji as Soon, among other positions.

The statement was signed by Chairman of the Leaders’ Council and Minister of State (Labour), Chief Festus Keyamo (SAN), Dr. Alex Ideh, co-Chairman; Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Secretary and former executive director, NDDC; 2019 APC governorship candidate, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru as well as former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei, who is currently Executive Director, NIMASA; and, Dr. (Mrs) Mariam Ali, foremost national woman leader of the APC.

Other signatories to the document are Mr George Timinimi (Leader, Ijaw Nation); Chief Richard Odibo, Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission; retired AVM Terry Okorodudu
(Leader Delta South); Dr. Eugene Okolocha (Leader, Ndokwa Nation); and, Hon. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, Leader Isoko Nation, former Isoko APC House of Representatives Candidate.

In line with the Constitution of the APC and guidelines for the 2021 congresses stipulated consensus amongst party stakeholders, the statement said: “The Delta APC Council of Leaders resolved to release a harmonised list of state executive members who shall be recognised by all APC faithful in the State and will run the affairs of the Party henceforth.”

This, according to the statement, came to be having met severally to consider the various and diverse interests within the party and after consulting widely with other stakeholders adding that the new state executive would work with the existing local government and ward executives already in place.
The council members hinted that they were not unaware of a few leaders who refused to join the arrangement of the council put together by the Congress and Extraordinary Conversation Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party and who decided to be part of a one-man-show.

In a veiled reference to the members of the Omo-Agege faction, the council said their positions and spaces within the Council of Leaders “are still open anytime they are done with their solo runs.”

The new executive committee is coming on the heels a blanket rejection of different congresses of the APC in Delta State held under the leadership of Senator Omo-Agege.

In Oyo State yesterday, Omodewu emerged at the congress held at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Oke Ado, Ibadan. However, some prominent members of the party chapter boycotted.

The emergence of Omodewu and other members of the state executive was sequel to a motion for the affirmation of their names moved by a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dokun Odebunmi and seconded by a former Majority Leader in the state House of Assembly, Mr. Kehinde Subair.

The congress was supervised by the Secretary of the State Congress Committee, Abdullahi Bello and had the presence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, major stakeholders of APC in the state boycotted the congress while calling for its suspension.

A former Senator, Senator Ayo Adeseun, while addressing journalists on behalf of other stakeholders, alleged forgery of wards and delegates lists.

Other party chieftains who felt aggrieved include Chief Adebayo Adelabu; Hon. Tolu Akande-Sadipe; Minister of Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare; Prof. Azeez Adeduntan; NCC Chairman, Prof. Adeolu Akande and former ALGON Chairman in the state, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye.

Adeseun decried the insensitive manner at which the delegates’ list was manipulated despite what was sent to Abuja by the state executive after the ward and local government congresses, noting that those behind the manipulation do not have the true interest of the party at heart.

He insisted that the list sent from Abuja for the state congress was in complete variance from what was sent from the state.

He said there “is a limit to what the party membership could condone while appealing to the national leadership of the party to take up the matter seriously and if need be limit the list of delegates from the state to the statutory number according to the party’s constitution.

“We received information that the list sent in from Abuja had been tampered with by a serving senator and a former Governor of the State. In order to safeguard the integrity of the process, we appeal to our National Chairman to suspend the state congress until all of this is sorted out as Oyo is a sensitive state.

“Oyo APC is ready to take over only if we are sincere with our hard earned democracy. The so-called state congress has been postponed. We have committed too much to the party than for anyone to make a fool of us.”

However, sources disclosed that the members sneaked out one after the other from the Jericho Apartment, Jericho where they were lodged to head for Abuja enroute Lagos. The four members are Mr Lanre Edun, Mallam Abdullai Kontagora,Mr Diran Iyantan and Chief Ralph Igbokwe.

It was gathered that the four members had argued at a meeting of the committee last night that the protest against the delegates list presented at the Stakeholders meeting should not be dismissed if the party would be reconciled for the 2023 elections.

“A member of the committee who spoke with party officials in Abuja explained that the number of gladiators and groups who have protested the controversial list are too numerous to be ignored. But the Chairman and Secretary are adamant that the congress must hold with the disputed list”

The four members who reportedly explained their worries over the adamance of the Chairman and Secretary walked out of the apartment and organised to be taken to Lagos from where they headed for Abuja.

Hundreds of party members protesting the delegates list locked up the Jericho Apartments where the committee members were lodged as early as 6am preventing the Chairman and committee members from proceeding to Liberty Stadium for the event. Four members however sneaked out for fear of attack by the protesting party members.