‘You’re Not A Serious Politician’ – APC Chieftain, Ivwurie, Slams Keyamo Over Party’s Self-imposed College Of Leaders

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Hon. Evance Ochuko Ivwurie, has criticized the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN, over his self-imposed ‘college of leaders’ in the Delta State chapter of the party.

Ivwurie, in an open letter, accused Keyamo of attempting to impose his own leadership structure on the party, contrary to the APC’s constitution.

He also alleged that Keyamo had never won an election in his polling unit and therefore lacked the moral authority to lead the party.

“Everyone has their gift in politics. Those who operate outside television stations and contest election with sincere desire to win do not joke with respect for their parties’ constitutions,” Ivwurie said.

He also defended the former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, against Keyamo’s allegations that he worked against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s election.

Ivwurie described the allegations as “hogwash” and accused Keyamo of being the one who never campaigned for the party.

The letter is reproduced below:

A DIRECT MESSAGE TO MR. FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN*

When you formed your so-called ‘College of Leaders’ as the ultimate decision-making body for the APC in Delta State, the Deputy President of the 9th Senate, Obarisi Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, CFR unequivocally and rightly rejected it on behalf of thousands of concerned leaders, stakeholders, and grassroots election machinery of the party as an unconstitutional error. This was generally expected.

Not one who likes correction, you insisted on the rightness of that arbitrary body but could not point to a specific provision of the APC’s Constitution that it stands on. Even the National Working Committee (NWC) objectively stated its rejection of that private contraption of yours, you chose to released your local media attack dogs on the party instead of simply changing course. For you, having played a pivotal role in removing Senator Oshiomhole as National Chairman in the past, you are qualified to do whatever you like in the name of the party.

In the midst of all that grandstanding, much later and quite disingenuously, there was an attempt to equate that private pressure group of yours to the statutorily established caucus of the party. Laughable!

The simple question is, can any group of party members just wake up to constitute its caucus at any level? But then, having not participated in or won an election in your polling unit, you may not know and you may not be blamed. This is said with seriousness because you can’t produce the result of any election conducted by INEC from 1999 till date where your party won in your unit. You are therefore not a serious politician.

Everyone has their gift in politics. Those who operate outside television stations and contest election with sincere desire to win do not joke with respect for their parties’ constitutions. Someday you may understand.

Yesterday, it was quite laughable to hear you say that even if your private pressure group is not recognized by the constitution, then is it a one-man rule that should be recognized? This level of thinking should be beneath you.

Every party member is a ‘leader’ in his space within the context of the party, but positive influence in this regard increases leadership. Envy and hate are not substitutes for influence-based leadership. Base on this, former DSP, Senator Omo-Agege is a field marshal of the grassroots and you cannot change that with nonsensical and disrespectful lies.

One of such irritating, worn out lies is this suggestion that somehow the Most Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, CFR worked against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Hogwash! You mean after campaigning and spending huge resources daily in anticipation of victory, he then went about every polling unit in Delta State on the first election day telling voters to elect just 2 senators for him but they should not vote for Mr. President? And while he was doing so you stood aloof and helplessly! You mean he worked against Mr. President in Chief James Ibori’s Federal Constituency because some leaders there made a pragmatic decision to join forces with him to deliver victory to the daughter instead of splitting the votes to reward the APGA candidate whom you were supporting with Okowa? Who dares to do that with Ibori other than Okowa and his nighttime support in your College of Leaders?

Ironically, you are the one who never campaigned for and supported the party to win any election in Delta. You only appeared for photo and television ops on the day Mr. President came to campaign in Warri, and that was all. Yet, you have the temerity to insult the sensibilities of the grassroots of the party in the State that the DSP who campaigned and laboured day and night and was cheated after it all did nothing for the party. Where is your conscience?

Signed
Hon. (Chief) Evance Ochuko Ivwurie