By John Oghojafor
An attempt by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to reconcile the warring factions in the All Progressive Congress (APC), Delta State chapter, was on Tuesday frustrated as the Delta Central APC Senator, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege and Chief Great Ogboru group shunned the peace meeting.
The peace meeting called by the Minister for selected leaders of the party was scheduled for 9 pm at Kachikwu’s home in Abuja.
According to our source, it was meant to find a middle ground in
resolving the leadership crisis rocking the party in the state.
It would be recalled that Dr. Kachikwu, was quoted in the media to have said after he paid a courtesy call on the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that he was not vying for the governorship of Delta state, but that his preoccupation was to ensure that the party unites in the state, ahead of 2019 election.
“I have said that many times, I don’t know why people think I am going to talk about this thing. I don’t want to be governor, I am not running for governorship, I want to make sure the party unites and selects a candidate we can work with. That’s my position on that”, Kachikwu said.
He added that the issue was not about taking party structure, but winning election because “If you take the structure, people do not support you, and then you are going to lose. Our business is to deliver the President and deliver the governorship. We are going to do it in a way that it will be contentious and in all-inclusive.”
However, like every peace move in the party since the Ogboru and Omo-Agege joined the party, their group failed to show up in the meeting, while Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and other leaders in his camp honoured the minister’s invitation.
According to a source at the meeting who spoke to us anonymously, “the Ogboru and Omo-Agege camp said they are not willing to enter into any form of reconciliation until the outcome of its consent judgment is implemented by the party national leadership.”
Our source added that following the minister’s discussions with Comrade Oshiomhole, he called the meeting to broker peace, “but Ogboru and Omo-Agege in the usual manners of snubbing every other person in the party, shunned the meeting, leaving party leaders wondering what could be their motives.”
The content of the text message for the meeting obtained by our correspondent stated: “Good morning all. Please kindly attend a select meeting of APC Delta tonight at 9 pm at the home of the honorable Minister of State Dr. Kachikwu.
“I have been directed by party and Presidency to wade into our issues and commence a reconciliation meeting. Today’s meeting is to flesh out the basis for this reconciliation and u are invited strictly in ur capacity as one of the leaders of the state APC. Pls be prompt.”
A former Military Administrator, AWM Frank Ajobena Rtd, an APC leader in Delta state who attended the meeting confirmed the absence of leaders from the Ogboru and Omo-Agege group, adding that the meeting will be called again until the party is able to harmonize the warring factions.
According to him; “what you heard is true, Ogboru and Omo-Agege didn’t show up, but we will meet again until the crisis is resolved.”
However, what other step the minister and other party leaders are going to take in the near future to bring the Ogboru and Omo-Agege group to embrace other party leaders in the state and stop working in isolation, is yet to be seen if the party must win Delta.
