Chief Ayirimi Spits Fire on Delta South, Warns Against Using Party’s Platform to Front Sen. Joel-Onowakpo Aspiration Before APC Primaries

Prominent chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State, Chief Ayirimi Emami, has cautioned the APC Chairman in Delta South Senatorial District, Chief Emma Amgbaduba against using the party state machinery to rally Senatorial declaration for aspirants who are yet to win the parry’s primaries.

Chief Emami gave the warned following recent circular issued by Amgbaduba claiming that Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, representing Delta South Senatorial District, had formally invited all categories of party executive committees members to his official declaration slated for Friday, May 1, at the Oleh township stadium, Oleh.

Amgbaduba had in his memo directed that all state working committee members of the party from Delta South, all state executive committee members of the party from Delta South, all LGA chairmen and members of their executive committees in the eight LGAs of Delta South as well as all ward chairmen and members of their executive committees in the eight LGAs of Delta South are expected to be at the Senator’s official declaration.

Senator Thomas Joel-Onowakpo who is seeking re-election for second term in office would be squaring up with former Isoko South local government chairman, Chief Malik Itiako Ikpokpo and former Assembly member, Hon. Michael Diden (Aka Ejele) who are also eying the seat.

Emami criticized the move by Amgbaduba, arguing that it undermines the party’s internal democracy.

According to him, such move amount to subverting the party state machinery to favour one aspirant against the other when the party was yet to organized it primary.

He said; “Let nobody drag Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and President Bola Tinubu into their mud. Let them go and campaign or declare by themselves. Amgbaduba, our Senatorial chairman should be cautioned that any aspirant who is yet to be a candidate cannot fly the party machinery. You cannot call or be sending messages through your office for party faithfuls and chieftains to come for one aspirant’s expression of interest declaration.

He said that aspirants must go through the official primary process and secure the party’s ticket before their candidacys should be recognized.

“If Joel is declaring, he should go and declare on his own. If he becomes the candidate of the party, if him win maybe through consensus or direct primary as instructed then we can all stand for him.

“Are you not aware of what is happening in Lagos where they’re taking of consensus. They meet and talk.

“Here you’re using our parry’s platform to call for someone to declare when he is yet to clinch the party flag? It will not work.

“Don’t drag Governor Sheriff into issue of an unpopular aspirant. Don’t drag Asiwaju into this matter. Let everyone carry their own cross and campaign independently.

“We have adopted the President and the Governor right from onset. I have earlier said it that legislators are on their own. So take the party out of this so-called invitation.

The APC stalwart also warned against politicizing the party platform, urging leaders to respect the integrity of the primary process.

“Let Joel call people. Anyone that like to attend let them attend. If I like I will attend but not this pattern of using the party’s platform ahead of the primary to force people to attend declarations.

“Stop dropping the name of the Governor on this matter. issues of the Governor and President are different. Senate and House of Assembly aspirants must face their problems and carry their respective crosses”, he asserted.