The Chairman,
Caretaker/extraordinary Congresses and Convention Planning Committee,
All Progressives Congress(APC),
40, Blantyre Street, Wuse II, Abuja,
Dear Sir,
A CALL FOR THE CANCELLATION OF DELTA STATE APC WARD CONGRESS
We, members of the Delta state APC state working committee, the Delta state leader's council and other notable leaders of this great party wish to draw your attention to the brazen undemocratic acts, non compliance with Congress guidelines and serious case of exclusion in the conduct of the 31st July, 2021 ward Congress in Delta state.
We are sure that the CECPC decision to send the National secretariat staff to the states for the sales and receiving of congress application forms was to ensure open, credible and fair congress all over Nigeria.
The sales and receiving of Congress Application Forms, in Delta State, was handled by a three (3) man National Committee. The members are Mr. George Ojong Egbe, Mrs. Abibu Madina and Mr. Nkem Sunday. The Committee members informed State Party Executive Council members that on arrival in Delta State on Tuesday 20th July, 2021 they were not met by the party State Chairman. Rather they were directed by the Personal Aide to the Deputy Senate President (name withheld) to another Aide(name withheld) to the Deputy Senate President who impersonated the State Organizing Secretary, and with the assistance of Police detail who escorted them from Abuja to Asaba, zoomed off with the 6 bags of materials. Thus, the Aides of the Deputy Senate President snatched/hijacked the materials for the Delta State APC Congress.
This led to the following blatant disregard for guidelines of the party:
• It is worthy of note in the light of the above development that sales of forms did not commence until Saturday, 24th July, 2021 after the committee had gotten clearance from the headquarters to commence sales from the returned 3bags dumped at the party secretariat late in the night of Thursday, July 22nd, 2021.
• At the close of sales and submission of ward congress forms on the 28th July, 2021, Eight Thousand, Six Hundred (8,600) aspirants who have paid into party accounts and arrived with their tellers could not obtain the forms due to non availability of forms.
• Aspirants, who bought forms from the 3 bags of returned forms dumped at the party secretariat late in the night of Thursday, July 22nd, 2021 by unknown persons from the initially hijacked/snatched 6 bags, could not submit same due to the absence of officials.
• The Women Rep in the CECPC in a meeting on Friday, July 23rd,2021 at ELOMAS hotel in what smack of complicity prevailed on state officials to kill the story of snatched/hijacked materials.
She promised that in the event of scarcity of forms, she will make available enough forms but did not fulfil the promise.
• The screening of aspirants meant for the 29th July and 30th July, 2021 did not take place.
• The seven (7) man Ward Congress Committee (WCC), comprising members from outside the state, set up to conduct the ward congress exercise in Delta State, did not do their jobs. They did not call a stakeholder meeting to intimate party faithful about their assignment.
• The three (3) man Local Ward Congress Committee (LWCC), as stipulated in the congress guidelines, to oversee the exercise in the 270 wards all over Delta State, was not constituted.
• The venues of ward congresses were not communicated to stakeholders.
• All the activities contained in the guidelines were meant to ensure inclusiveness for all party members. The conduct of ward congress on the 31st July, 2021 in Delta State is a case of exclusion of over eight thousand aspirants who bought forms before the close of entries and armed with their tellers but were not given forms due to the unfortunate situation above .
• The leaders of the party in Delta State frantically called CECPC members to address the above anomaly, but nobody was ready to take any decision.
To disenfranchise over 8,000 aspirants is the most blatant act of internal democratic tyranny that must be abhorred by all. This if allowed to happen or sustained, will consign our democratic credentials as a ruling party to a permanent hall of infamy such that the party and its leaders will suffer irreparable integrity dent as well as loss of political democratic esteem.
Members of the State Exco, through the 3 man National Sales and receiving of Congress Forms Committee and APC Leaders in the state, urged the CECPC to postpone the ward congress in Delta State to allow the party members participate but received no response.
We, therefore, use this medium to call on the CECPC and President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) whom we have copied as the leader of the party to save the Delta State APC by cancelling the ward Congress of 31st July, 2021 and re-conduct a ward congress in Delta state with duely constituted local organizing committee for the 270 wards with the input of critical stakeholders to have an all inclusive Congress in Delta State.
SIGNED:
MEMEBERS OF DELTA STATE LEADERS' COUNCIL
1. Festus Keyamo,SAN, FCIArb (UK)(Chairman, Leaders' Council and Hon. Minister),… Delta Central
2. Dr. Alex Ideh (CO-Chairman of the Leaders' Council) Chairman, Boarr of Federal Medical Centre(FMC) Jabi…. Delta South
3. Olorogun Great Ogboru (2019 APC Governorship Candidate)…. Delta Central
4. Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei (Former Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly) Executive Director (ED) NIMASA)….Delta North
5. Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya (Former Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly)…… Delta Central
6. Dr. Cairo Ojugbo (Former ED, NDDC)….. Delta North
7. Dr. (Mrs.) Marian Ali (Former member PDP Board of Trutees). Delta North
8. Air Vice Marshal Terry Okorodudu (Rtd)…. Delta South
9. Dr. Eugene Okolocha(Chairman Buhari Support Organisation BSO, Delta State)… Delta North
10. Hon. George Timinimi(Former Commissioner, Delta State)…. Delta South
OTHER CRITICAL LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS
1. Sir Richard Odibo ( Hon. Commissioner, National Population Commision)…. Delta Central
2. Hon Joel Onowakpor (Former Chairman, Delta State Board of Internal Revenue)…. Delta South
3. Prof Bello Bibobra Orubebe….Delta South
4. Evangelist (Dr) Osai Abe(Running mate 2019 Governorship Candidate).... Delta North
5. Prof Festus Arunaye.... Delta Central
6. Chief Christopher Porbeni....Delta South
7. Mr John Enakireru(Former PDP Chairman, Uvwie LGA)....Delta Central
8. Mrs H. Amokwu....Delta North
9. Chief Charles Uweiche.... Delta North
10. Capt. Victor Sota (Rtd).... Delta Central
11. Hon. Kenneth Doubiri .(Former member Delta State House of Assembly)... Delta South
12. Prince Clement Okonjo.... Delta North
MEMBERS OF APC STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (DELTA STATE)
(1), Elvis Ayomanor.
Deputy State Chairman, caretaker committee.
(2), Comr. Chidi Okonji.
State Secretary, Caretaker Committee.
(3), Mr. Tosan Awani.
State Vice Chairman, Delta South Senatorial District, Caretaker Committee.
(4), Sir A S Mene(Member, Board of National Hospital, Abuja)
State Organising Secretary,
Caretaker Committee.
(5), Dr. Mrs Janet Oyubu,
State Women Leader,
Caretaker Committee.
(6), Comr. Christopher Agali.
State Youth Leader,
Caretaker Committee.
(7), Mr. Felix Ogbotor Okpako.
State Publicity Secretary, Caretaker Committee.
(8) Mr. Denbo Denbofa Oweikpodor. State Special Leader, Caretaker Committee
(9) Comr. (Mrs) Ejenawo Lizzy. State Asst. Women Leader
(10) Gloria Afiari. Delta North Senatorial Women Leader
(11) Ms Alero Tenumah. (Member, Board of Upper Benue River Basin Development) Delta South Senatorial Women Leader
(12) Victor Ebikabowei Sampson. Asst. Auditor
(13) Alphonsus Ojobowei Feh. Asst. Welfare Officer
(14) Odikpo N. Eleazar. Asst. Treasurer
(15) Chief Lawrence Esiso. Delta Central Senatorial Youth Leader.
(16) Mr. Martins Osakwe. Delta North Senatorial Youth Leader.
(17) Frank Felix. Asst. Financial Secretary
(18) Mr. Manny Edu. Ex-Officio
(19) Buchi Oba. Ex-Officio
(20) Efe Don Kigho. Ex-Officio.
Cc: President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), President Federal Republic of Nigeria.
