APC Forwards Erue’s Name To INEC As Delta State Chairman Amid Protest

The National Secretariat of All Progressive Congress APC has officially introduced Prophet Jones Ode Erue to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its state chairman, amidst protest by other faction of the party in Delta state.

Erue was swore in few days ago by National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole amidst controversy in Delta state that one Chief Cyril Ogodo had already been inaugurated by the former National Working Committee of the party led by immediate past chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

However, introducing Erue to INEC in a letter dated 17th July, with reference number APC/NHDO/INEC/19/018/31 signed by Abdullahi Gashua, Director, Administration at the APC national headquarters, the party said the introduction was for the purpose of official recognition and any other assistance he (Erue) may require in the discharge of his duties as Delta state APC chairman.

BigPen Online recalls that while swearing in Erue as chairman of the APC in Delta State, Oshiomhole spoke on the need for all stakeholders in the party to close ranks for the unity of the party, saying that reconciliation of all aggrieved members was necessary if the party must make headway in the next elections.

“I just want to publicly advise you that from my own background, legal victory can be sweet but even sweeter is the people’s victory.

“The court cannot give that. I have vested interest in Delta State because I come from Bendel and as Bendelites, we are committed to ensuring that APC wins the next election in Delta State.

“In a democracy, you will be useful according to the amount of peace and unity you are able to help build in Delta State.

“Given the overall circumstances that led to where we are, I will advise and on a future date, we will meet along with other stakeholders in Delta State and without questioning the legal status of putting in place a functional state executive in Delta State. It will require that we make sacrifices where necessary, persuading people who, even in the eyes of the law, are properly in office.

“But in the spirit of give and take, we will be ready to offer to vacate so that we can co-opt other persons in a way that gives every stakeholder a sense of ownership and a sense of belonging. I believe we need that.

“So, my plea to you is that once you have become the State Chairman, you are not at liberty to be the agent of any of the aspirants, whether for House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate or governorship.

‘’The only partisan position you might be able to pursue within limits is, maybe, with regards to the presidential candidate because that, as far as we know today, no one has yet expressed interest to contest the presidential election and so, it appears that the party understands that the incumbent has the first right of refusal and even the governors have publicly kowtowed to that”, he said.

Meanwhile, the faction of the party loyal to APC leader in the state, Olorogun Otega Emerhor has reacted to the swearing in, insisting that the Chief Cyril Abeye Ogodo-led executives of the party remain the only recognized and authentic executive of the party in the state.

State Publicity Secretary of the party, Moses Kamanya in a statement on Wednesday expressed disappointment that the Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee of the party went ahead to swore in Erue, the factional Chairman that emerged from the parallel congresses conducted by the Ogboru/Agege group and earlier rejected by the immediate-past Chief John Oyegun led NWC of APC.

The statement held that the defunct Oyegun led NWC, has earlier protested the inexplicable action of the new National Chairman in aiding the Ogboru/Agege group to procure the contentious consent judgement in spite of the fact that the immediate-past NWC had earlier disowned it.

According to him, Oyegun had personally gone to court to disown the alleged “fraudulently consent judgement” procured by the APC legal department in which the Oshiomhole administration is relying on to swear in Jones Erue as Delta state chairman.

He said that affected executives and members of the party in Delta State have also gone to court and obtained subsisting court orders restraining the new National Chairman and NWC from recognising any other party Executives in Delta State other than the Chief Cyril Abeye Ogodo- led executives.

According to the statement, the latest of these orders which emanated from the Kwale High Court in Suit No. HCK/57/2018; Ghaghara Ochuko Wisdom & Ors Vs Adams Oshiomhole, APC & Ors was duly served on all parties on Friday July 13, 2018.

Another suit at the Federal High Court Abuja, seeking a Stay of Execution of the consent judgement and giving notice of hearing of a motion to that effect for July 25, 2018 was also duly served on all parties on Wednesday July 11, 2018.

Lamentably, the statement said, yet on Monday July 16, 2018, in clear defiance of the subsisting court order and processes, HE Adams Oshiomhole still proceeded to purport to swear in Prophet Jones Erue as Chairman, giving him illegal recognition in clear contravention of the said subsisting court order!

“It is worrisome, however, that the National Chairman who ought to act based on sound legal advice has acted in a way that exposes him to potential contempt of court processes. Also disturbing is the fact that the National Chairman would act to swear in a second State Chairman/Exco without the legal dissolution of the one subsisting and sworn in by his immediate predecessor, thus potentially entrenching two factional Excos in the State, the statement added.