…as group insists on Anioma Governorship
Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
Fresh crisis of confidence in the zoning “arrangement” is currently brewing at the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress as a group known as “Delta North APC Caucus” has insisted on Anioma Governorship candidate come 2019.
In a release issued and signed by one Chief Emmanuel Ebeka, Leader of the Caucus, a copy made available to our reporter, accused the State Chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Erue of working against the party’s resolution of the Delta North to produce the party’s candidate come 2019 governorship election in the state.
The statement explained that a meeting of the Delta North Leadership Caucus was held on Saturday March 4, 2017 at the instance of the Honourable Minister of State Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachiukwu, with notable chieftains of the party in attendance, where it was resolved that the Governorship candidate of the party must come from Delta North.
Part of the statement reads: “The state caucus meeting, it should be recalled came prior to the peace party held in Abuja by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun in which others were also present, so the Dr. Kachiukwu party was convened as a follow up peace and reconciliation meeting to distill the rapport of the Abuja peace accord” adding that it is therefore regrettable that the state chairman, Prophet Erue who was present in person at both meeting could deliberately set up Machinations to undo the peace accord reached, and had allegedly been seeking to undermine the relations reached by the National and State Leadership of the party.
The statement further disclosed “it is no longer news that Prophets Jones Erue is working with certain cabal in Delta Central with vested interest to contest the governorship position in 2019 and there scuttle the very bright chances of the APC taking over the reins of power in Delta State in 2019”.
But at a media conference yesterday held in Asaba, the party chieftain, Chief Emmanuel Nduka Ogwuda, told journalists that the plots to ensure Delta North is schemed out of the 2019 governorship race, would be tantamount to a great loss to the party, disclosing that is has become necessary as new political platforms and agitations have emerged, seeking to alter political understanding established by the leaders of the party to foster peaceful co-existence and ethnic harmony in the state.
According to him, “we have taken notice of ominous plots by some desperate politicians to scuttle the political zoning arrangement for the governorship position established since 1999 when the current democratic dispensation took off” warning that the governorship is non-negotiable and urged the party to work in the popular direction to deliver a candidate of the party (APC) from Anioma extraction.
His words: “This ill-conceived agenda will strangle the rapidly booming popularity of the APC in the state and eventually kill the party as a widely accepted alternative platform in Delta State” and called on the party leaders to be wary of mercantile politicians in the party who are currently fanning the embers of disunity, division and discord.
In a swift reaction, the state party chairman, Prophet Jones Erue denied all allegations against him, saying that he cannot work against the interest of the party.