Controversy Trails APC Ward, LG Congresses in Delta

Controversy has erupted over the ward and local government congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held on Wednesday across Delta State, as the exercise has divided party leaders.

The Secretary of the Committee overseeing the congresses in the state, Simon Chukwuemeka Atigwe, while addressing journalists at Ward 10 in Oshimili South Local Government Area after monitoring activities across the three senatorial districts, described the process as smooth, calm and well-coordinated.

According to him, members of the committee toured several wards across Delta South, Delta Central and Delta North senatorial districts without encountering disputes or disruptions.

“As part of our assignment, we have been moving round the state to assess the situation on ground. From Delta South to Delta Central, and now here in Delta North at Ward 10, Oshimili South, what we have seen has been commendable,” he said.

Atigwe noted that the committee interacted directly with party members and stakeholders in different wards and found the exercise peaceful, with no issues requiring intervention.

“There has been no cause for concern anywhere we visited. The process has been seamless and orderly,” he added.

He commended party faithful for their maturity, discipline and impressive turnout, stating that the unity displayed during the congress reflects the growing strength of the APC in Delta State.

However, while the committee applauded the peaceful conduct of the exercise, some party faithful faulted the process, alleging manipulation of the consensus arrangement.

Leaders of the Delta North APC Coalition for Equity alleged increasing marginalisation of long-standing members following the defection of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the rising influence of his political structure within the party.

The coalition’s chairman, Alex Ikpeazu, and Acting Secretary-General, Ken-Chad Rafua, alongside other leaders of the old APC across local governments in the zone, said the developments have led to the exclusion of original stakeholders from key internal activities, including the drafting of consensus ward and LGA executive lists.

According to the coalition, new entrants leading various APC blocs failed to invite foundational members to meetings where the consensus lists were prepared, contrary to directives issued by the governor and the party’s state leadership.

They insisted that the lists presented by the new APC bloc were not genuinely consensus-driven and should be disregarded in the interest of fairness.

The group also alleged that members who purchased congress nomination forms were denied access to them, claiming that leaders of the new bloc privately completed the forms for their loyalists while excluding founding members.

Reacting, the party in the state rejected allegations of a lack of transparency in the conduct of the ward congresses.

The APC State Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, maintained that the process was conducted in strict compliance with the party’s constitution and established guidelines.

“These claims are entirely false, misleading and appear calculated to create unnecessary discord within the ranks of our party,” he said.

Onojeghuo explained that the consensus arrangement was designed to promote unity, inclusiveness and stability while accommodating both long-standing members and new entrants.

He added that the leadership remains committed to fairness, transparency and due process, describing allegations that the exercise was vindictive or targeted at specific individuals as baseless.

The party said such claims were attempts to distract from what it described as the successes recorded in implementing the consensus arrangement and consolidating its structures across Delta State.