Delta APC, The Journey So Far. Setting The Records Straight

By Isoko Ethnic Nationality Movement

When the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious after decimating the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 following the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, as winner of the elections, many Deltans heaved a sigh of relief and were over joyed that the electoral victory would usher in a new vista of hope in the political life of Delta State, but four years after, the reverse is the case owing to the glaring anti-party activities of some elements within the party whose actions are driven by inordinate ambition to pocket the party structure.

The party as an entity vis- a- viz it’s State Working Committee (SEC), ably led by Prophet Jones Ode Erue, has walked through the needle’s eyes in it’s bid to entrench democratic ethos which has overtime, been vehemently resisted by anti-democratic forces.

The persecution of the party and it’s leaders in Delta State by these band of desperados, got to a crescendo prior to and during the Party’s 2018 congresses, where clear decisions of the National Executive Committee (NEC) were sacrificed because of the megalomaniac ambitions of one man and his willing accomplices.

It is pertinent to state, that in the build up to the party congresses, the National Executive Committee (NEC), resolved that, the existing zoning formula be maintained in electing new executives to run the affairs of the party across the 36 States chapter of the Federation.

But in Delta State, Olorogun Otega Emerhor using his “connections” with the then National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, relentlessly sought to arm-twist the NEC decision to maintain status quo by jettisoning the zoning arrangement in his attempt to hijack the structure of the Party for both political and personal aggrandizement. 

Recall, that despite the pleas and intervention of well meaning leaders of the Party to allow the then substantive State Executive Committee(SEC), headed by Prophet Jones Ode Erue to retain their positions in obedience to the NEC resolution, so as to enjoy a smooth transition and avoid unnecessary political bickering, Olorogun Otega Emerhor refused blatantly to heed, instead he engaged in all manner of subterfuge calculated to seized control of the party. 

The congresses of the Party were held nation wide between the 9th to 19th of May 2018. In Delta State, the NWC appointed Alhaji Sanni Dododo led committee to conduct the ward and local government congresses. However, Olorogun Otega Emerhor and his cohorts which includes Engr. Samuel Adjogbe connived with the Secretary of the Committee, Usman Kutigi and one other member to cart away the materials meant for the congresses to unknown destination.

The Chairman Alhaji Sanni Dododo reported the matter to the National Secretariat and the Commissioner of Police Delta State who directed the deployment of men and technology in locating them. The Police were able to track their location through phones to Port Harcourt which caused the Police to declare them wanted. 

The intrigues surrounding the conduct of the State congresses was not different from the scenario described so far because at every opportunity, the former National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun exhibited bare faced bias against the Ogboru/Omo-Agege/Erue group in favour of Olorogun Otega Emerhor and his accomplices inspite of the various inglorious acts of thievery and violence perpetrated by them. It was therefore obvious that the next theatre of war, would be the up coming national convention at Abuja. 

The treasonable and embarrassing event at the National Convention of the Party which held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, is still fresh in minds of millions of Nigerians, where Olorogun Otega Emerhor and his accomplices, armed with dangerous weapons attacked the duly accredited and authentic Delta State delegates which saw some of them sustaining life threatening injuries. This ignoble acts of brigandage led by Olorogun Otega Emerhor which amounts to an act of treason, occurred while President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, was delivering his address and was captured live on national television. The security implications of this senseless display of violence cannot be over emphasized. 

As the primaries of the party to elect it’s candidates commenced, Olorogun Otega Emerhor and his group refused to participate in the primaries as approved and conducted by the NWC. With particular reference to the senatorial primary for Delta Central Senatorial District, Olorogun Otega Emerhor publicly held his own primary in an unknown location without the approval of the NWC nor the supervision of INEC and other relevant security agencies. 

Worried by the protracted crisis bedevilling the party, various peace initiatives were undertaken by Party leaders such as the immediate past Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the new National Chairman of the party, His Excellency, Comr. Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, the Vice President, His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo and Dr. Cairo Ojougboh who pleaded with Olorogun Otega Emerhor and his group to sheath their swords and embrace peace. Unfortunately, all entreaties made to Olorogun Otega Emerhor and his group to work for the success of the Party in the just concluded 2019 general elections fell on deaf ears. 

Suffice it to state that Olorogun Otega Emerhor and his group, with the backing of Engr. Samuel Adjogbe, the acting Executive Director of Projects, NDDC, instituted 20 law suits in various Courts across Nigeria, in an attempt to frustrate and scuttle the participation of the Party in the last elections. The Olorogun Otega Emerhor/Ogodo Group filed a case before the Federal High Court, Asaba in Suit No. FHC/ASB/CS/76/2018: CHIEF CYRIL OGODO & ORS VS APC & ORS where they obtained a judgement  purportedly setting aside the authentic candidates of the Party which included the governorship candidate of the Party Chief Great Ogboru and Distinguished Senator. Ovie Omo-Agege.

In it’s judgement, the Court held that the matter was a pre election matter which confers jurisdiction on the federal high court to hear the case. Consequent upon this judgement, Olorogun Otega Emerhor started parading himself as the senator elect for Delta central, a position he never worked for.

Most bizarre of all these persecutions of the APC and it’s leaders in Delta State, was the unfortunate development leading to the wicked moves by these same agents of darkness who went out to shop for any willing Senator across Nigeria to run against our own distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and by extension, frustrate his Deputy President of the Senate’s ambition having emerged the Senator-elect representing Delta Central Senatorial district in the 9th Assembly as he was then, before his eventual inauguration and emergence as Deputy Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Apart from the case filed as mentioned above, it is pertinent to state that Olorogun Otega Emerhor had previously filed a case before the Federal High Court Warri seeking to be declared the senatorial candidate of the Party for Delta Central Senatorial District and by extension the winner/Senator elect of an election he never participated in.  The Court in it’s wisdom and well considered judgement,  dismissed the case as lacking in merit. 

Consequent upon the judgement of the Federal High Court Asaba which was given against parties not before the Court, 2 appeals were lodged by APC and INEC challenging the jurisdiction of the federal high court to hear the case in the first instance. The Court of Appeal Benin City, upheld both appeals and the judgement of the Federal High Court Asaba, was set aside and subsequently dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

The judgement of the Court of Appeal put paid to their evil intents and succeeded in authenticating the various candidates of the Party and the leadership of the State Executive Committee headed by Prophet Jones Ode Erue. 

Inspite of the fact that the judgement of the Court of Appeal, created yet another opportunity for the transgressions of these belligerent maruaders to be forgiven owing to fresh calls and appeals by leaders of the Party to Olorogun Otega Emerhor/Ogodo group to allow peace prevail, all these calls were rebuffed by Olorogun Otega Emerhor/Ogodo group as they vowed to continue with their needless litigations prompting them to file an appeal at the Supreme Court. 

When the case came up for hearing at the Supreme Court on the 27th of June, 2019, the Court inquired from Chris Uche SAN who was now briefed to appear for Olorogun Otega Emerhor/Ogodo group, if the matter was a pre election matter and he informed the Court that the matter was not a pre election matter and the Court subsequently adjourned the case to 14th October, 2019 for hearing of the appeal.

The implications of the Supreme Court proceedings of 27th June, 2019, is that, both the federal high court and the Court of Appeal had decided that the case was a pre election matter and by the provision of section 285 of the Constitution, the 60 days allowed for appeal in such a case, expires by the end of this July 2019. 

On realising the legal quagmire they found themselves, the Olorogun Otega Emerhor/Ogodo group approached the Court to bring back the date of hearing from 14th October 2019 which the Court obliged them and the registry of the Supreme Court fixed the 11th of July to hear the matter. On the 11th of July, lawyer to Olorogun Otega Emerhor/Ogodo group, Barr. Oghenejakpor told their lordships of the Supreme Court that the matter is a pre election matter and that Chris Uche SAN who appeared on the last adjourned date of 27th June, 2019 made a mistake/error by informing the Court that the matter was not a pre election matter. The justices of the Supreme Court did not waste time in castigating Barr. Oghenejakpor for this summersault as he was roundly dressed down by their lordships who told him that “he should go back to his chambers to continue with the mistake/error as the Supreme Court does not entertain such mistakes/errors”. 

The Supreme Court thereafter informed him that the matter stands adjourned to the original date of 14th October 2019. Thus effectively sealing the fate of the case of Olorogun Otega Emerhor/Ogodo group as the case is already dead by effluxion of time.

Further more, information from the grapevine has it that the, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor/Chief Cyril Ogodo group, having realized that their case (s) is dead on arrival, are now trying to be clever by half by making frantic efforts to file a notice of discontinuance to create a deceptive illusion that they withdrew their case out of patriotism and for the interest of the Urhobo Nation and in deference, to party supremacy all in a bid, to score cheap political goal.

While this is a welcome development as part of the peaceful efforts geared towards consolidating it’s gains in Delta State in preparation for 2023, the APC should be careful about the genuineness of this sudden volte face of these transgressors who has in the past, rejected every entreaties to allow peace prevail in the party and allow for cohesion. The question that should be in the lips of every party man and woman in Delta State is, why now? have they realized the truth? are they now genuine sinners willing to confess their sins and seek for forgiveness? only time can tell.

By and large, we admonish the party to take into cognisance the biblical injunction in Psalms 133:1; “how wonderful it is, when brethren dwell together in harmony”. If they truly seek forgiveness, we urge the leadership of the Party to be magnanimous enough to forgive and accommodate them as a process of healing and uniting the party. The party should be willing to forgive their trespasses as it was in the biblical story of the prodigal son as recorded in Luke 15:11-32 if they come clean with a sorrowful heart akin to that of a chronic sinner wanting to purge himself of his misdemeanours.

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