Delta APC delegates fight at convention
The split in Delta State All Progressives Congress (APC) became manifest during the party’s convention in Abuja as members of two factions of the party fought dirty and openly to the embarrassment of President Muhammadu Buhari and other party faithful.
The fight caused panic on the arena and was a clear breach of peace as it happened while Mr. President stepped unto the podium to deliver his remark.
The Emerhor Ortega faction had vacated their pavilion to eat but upon returning to take their place, the Great Ogboru faction which also came with its delegates as opposed to the delegates of Emerhor had taken over and refused to quit the pavilion. This resulted in hot argument and then in fisticuffs as chairs and other objects including bottled and sachet water were deployed in the fight.
The Ortega faction accused Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of doctoring the delegates list to their disadvantage. Senator Omo-Agege is the Secretary of the Accreditation Committee. It took the intervention of security personnel to quell the fight.
The convention already has one result which is the emergence of Adams Oshiomhole as the party’s chairman. He was unopposed.
Meanwhile, the Presidency says the All Progressive Congress (APC) convention would be a quit notice signal to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, gave the assurance to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the ongoing convention arena.
Enang, who said he expected a peaceful poll at the convention, said the successful completion of the occasion would also indicate a quit notice to the Ekiti State’s incumbent governor, Ayo Fayose.
NAN reports that the governorship election in the state, which is scheduled to hold on July 14, has the immediate-past Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, as the APC gubernatorial candidate.
”It is a signal to PDP and Ayo Peter Fayose that we have served him quit notice and that he will quit.
”With the strength of APC in the Federal Government at the federal level and the strength of APC in Ekiti State, we will win Ekiti and we will sack PDP from the seat,” Enang said.
He said he expected a fruitful and rancour-free convention.
He urged the winners and losers in the ongoing convention to display a spirit of sportsmanship.
”My words for the winners today, be magnanimous in victory, and for the losers, be also accommodating. Let all those who lose also play into the party, let those who win accommodate those who may not win today,” he said.
Also speaking, the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said the convention would go well and come out successful.
”You can see that everybody is happy to be here. We are lucky that we have Muhammadu Buhari as our president; everybody loves him.
”No matter the differences or disagreement in the generality of membership, the president’s position as a beloved leader and mentor is sacrosanct. And I think that will contribute largely to the final successful outcome of this convention,” he said.
