By Austin Ogwuda
….He is a political liability, says Collins Eselemo
….You cannot have the Delta State’s APC Structure, Ganduje tells Okowa
The ongoing supremacy battle, distrusts and wranglings within the Delta State All Progressives Congress (APC) over control of structure and leadership have gotten to a boiling point.
Voiceferous Activist and staunch member of the All Progressives Congress, in Delta Prince Collins Eselemo, took the governor to the cleaners when appeared on Arise Television programme News on Wednesday and totally rejected the idea of Oborevwori assuming leadership of the APC in the State, describing his entry into the Party as “political liability”.
Eselemo contended that the governor should not be granted automatic acceptance to take over the leadership and expressed disappointment over the comment made by the Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo for endorsing Oborevwori as the Delta State party leader without broad consultation.
His words:
“We’re not saying he (Oborevwori) can’t join, but it must be on clearly defined terms.
If we are inheriting Sheriff, let them be clear about it.
“Keyamo, a Senior Advocate, is telling Nigerians Sheriff can come in and lead us? Lead me—someone who has fought for democracy—into what? Corruption? This signals a moral collapse within the party”.
Eselemo recalled alleged injustices suffered by APC members under Oborevwori’s former administration as a PDP governor, including the demolition of properties and land seizures without compensation.
According to him, “Our only crime was being APC members. Our assets were taken, our lands seized, and we received nothing in return. Now we are expected to accept him as our leader?”
“Until Sheriff corrects those wrongs”, he went on, “the conversation about leadership cannot begin.
If the APC is expected to repay the PDP’s N450 billion debt using State resources, let them say so.
The President must be informed of the injustices we faced. They cannot be ignored”, Eselemo fumed.
...You cannot have the Delta State’s APC Structure, Ganduje tells Okowa
In a related development, the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje was reported to have told former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa during a meeting with Party leaders from Delta point blank that “You cannot have the State ‘s APC structure”.
At that meeting, according to Nairaland, Ganduje made it clear that “I’m going to be frank with everyone. The party in Delta State was built by someone. The party under the person won Senate and was returned, went back and won two Senatorial seat, one House of Reps and several House of Assembly members. The President’s directive is that the structure of Delta APC remains with the party and the person who built the party won’t be undermined in anyway.
“I don’t want to hear anyone crying that the National Chairman statement is not fair. Just swallow the pill that you thought will be sweet.
“You begged to come to the party out of fear of going to prison so take whatever they offer you. You have no power to successfully negotiate your way in a party that you pleaded to be admitted in”, he declared.
Source: Arise TV/Nairaland
