I Remains Only Legal APC Chairman In Delta – Ogodo

Standing from right Chief Cyril Ogodo andOlorogun Otega Emerhor

Cyril Abeye Ogodo-led executives of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) in Delta state has insisted that it is the only legally 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 Adams 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 Oshiomole, APC & Ors was duly served on all parties on Friday July 13, 2018.

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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.

“Even more inexplicable is the fact that the contentious consent judgement purportedly being relied upon to swear in a second State Chairman for Delta State APC pertains STRICTLY only to Wards and LGAs Executives and DO NOT contain any relief or order pertaining to the State Executives or in particular, AUTHORIZING the recognition or swearing in of Prophet Jones Erue by the National Chairman. The National Chairman therefore not only acted illegally without the backing of any court judgement but also acted in defiance of a subsisting court restraining 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.

“As clearly stated in our June 29, 2018 press statement as well as in our earlier PROTEST letter of same date to the National Chairman and NWC members, we the Chief Cyril Ogodo led Executives in Delta State that were duly elected and inaugurated by the erstwhile NWC were never party to the contentious consent judgement and by law are not bound by the outcome of the said consent judgment nor can our positions be taken away or de-legitimised by a court consent judgment entered into by two parties without our knowledge, directive,  consent or approval. We here state quite categorically again that the swearing in of Prophet Jones Erue on Monday July 16, 2018 without any basis by the National Chairman will not, cannot and has not changed our stand.

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“Chief Cyril Abeye Ogodo remains the only LEGALLY RECOGNISED State Chairman of Delta State APC. We will therefore, continue to take and sustain all legal actions to maintain our unimpeachable legal status as well as  vacate the consent judgment on the basis of it being procured through fraud and misrepresentation as the erstwhile NWC that conducted the referenced congresses never consented or approved any such terms of settlement.

“The State Chairman and State Working Committee in Delta State further reiterate it’s appeal to the National Chairman to remember his avowed desire and pronouncements to work with and support Delta State APC  in her onerous mission to dislodge PDP from the state and fervently request again that the National Chairman take a step back and deeply reconsider the effect of illegally swearing in of an unelected Prophet Jones Erue without any court backing and arm him to proceed to parade himself as Chairman in Delta State.

“Chief Cyril Abeye Ogodo and the State Exco hereby again call on all party members to stay calm, steadfast and to go about their usual party businesses without let or hindrance. The party executives will continue to function and carry on the business of APC in Delta State. We once again reassure all party faithfuls that this latest challenge will not last and shall be overcome shortly. We must remain focused on our mission to rescue Delta State from the death-hold of the PDP. We must remains resolute”.