Paul Osuyi, Asaba and Ben Dunno, Warri
Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have heaved a sigh of relief following the agreement by the O’tega Emerhor-led mainstream of the party to work for the party at Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The state chapter of the APC had been embroiled in leadership crisis since May, last year, when ward, local government and state congresses broke into two factions, with Emerhor leading majority of the party bigwigs in the mainstream.
Although the other faction had the backing of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Executive Committee, its governorship candidate, Great Ogboru, did not enjoy the support of Emerhor’s faction.
But, few days to the crucial governorship and House of Assembly elections, Emerhor and his group have agreed to work for the success of Ogboru and all APC state Assembly candidates in Saturday’s elections.
The decision to work for the success of the APC candidates by Emerhor and his group came barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, held a town hall meeting with traditional rulers and APC leaders in Warri.
Buhari had, during the meeting, called on all APC leaders irrespective of their grievances, to work for the victory of the party, particularly for governorship seat, noting that there is no reason Delta should be in the hands of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Regardless, Itsekiri women and youths from the three Warri councils of the state, yesterday, declared their support for Governor Okowa’s re-election bid during a rally across the streets of Warri.
The rally, which was initiated by the Igba of Warri Kingdom, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, was led by Chief Omolubi Newuwumi, the Omatamudieyin of Warri, who, while interpreting the speech in a local dialect, urged Deltans to vote en masse for Okowa’s second term, to enable him consolidate on his present achievements.