…As Parallel Congresses Set Party On Collission
By John Oghojafor
In defiance to the official postponement of the rescheduled All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta State Congress to Monday 21/05/18, the Ogboru/Omo-Agege’s group purportedly held a parallel Congress on Saturday at Asaba.
Recall that the National Working Committee, NWC of the party had rescheduled the State Congress till Monday, May 21st, 2018 following alleged attempt to compromise the process by the chairman of the committee.
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.
Our reporter in Delta gathered that the National Working Committee of the party decided to postpone and reschedule the state congress in the state because of an alleged plan to compromise the congress committee which was 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 to the state, 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.
It would be recalled that early Saturday, The New Diplomat had already reported that the determination by rival groups in Delta like many other states to forcefully annoint executives in clear parallel congresses remains the biggest threat to APC fortune in next year’s general election.
Just yesterday the Director General of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization, Rotimi Amaechi was in a closed-door meeting with the outgoing National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun in an attempt to calm strained nerves among bitter party rivals.
