By Austin Ogwuda
THE leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has berated the Member representing Ughelli North/ Ughelli South/Udu Federal constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive for openly endorsing Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s second term bid.
The Party has therefore summoned him to appear before a Disciplinary Panel within seven days to purge himself, describing the action as “gross anti-party activity”.
A letter addressed to him dated 15th September, 2024, endorsed by the State Chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie reads:
“The attention of the leadership of the State Executive Committee of our great party has been drawn to a video recording that was posted online, wherein you were seen and heard openly canvassing for support and endorsing the second term ambition of the Delta State Governor, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that has now gone viral and seen by millions of viewers all over the nation and beyond.
“This action by you, a sitting Member of the Party at the National Assembly is a gross display of anti party behaviour that has caused public opprobrium and brought the image if the Party into disrepute contrary to the provisions of the Article 21: 21 (I) & (ii) of the Constitution of the Party.
“Consequently, take notice that you have 7days within the receipt of this letter to appear in person and give content reasons why severe disciplinary measures should not be taken against you by the Party”.
Recall that the frosty relationship between Representative Waive and his Party started when he sent a ‘Thank-You’ letter dated May 4, 2024 after receiving his own Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) which the governor splashed on all the Federal Lawmakers representing Delta State in the National Assembly as “operational vehicles”.
Waive, in the said letter stated that “You have done what has never been done in our history by extending this kind gesture to all irrespective of political party affiliation.
“Today, I received mine and all of us in the Delta caucus of the 10th National Assembly appreciate you. You have demonstrated again and again that you are governor of all Deltans and posterity will not forget you.
“This is a new dawn in our polity; please keep carrying everyone along, because, this is the right thing to do and our State and you too will reap the benefits”.
Reacting to the car gifting, a Human Rights Activist, Jude Ojiugo-Onochie had criticised Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevweri for buying Sports Utility Vehicles allegedly worth N1bn for 12 Federal Lawmakers.
Activist Ojiugo-Onochie while describing the Governor’s action as insensitive said “Deltans are suffering now; that money, over N1 billion used to buy SUV for Members of the National Assembly can be channeled to job creation for the people.
“Oborevweri has no conscience. He is using the vehicle gifts to secure his second term. The Lawmakers ought to have rejected the cars. The Lawmakers too don’t conscience for receiving such gifts after they have received from Federal Government”, he pointed out.