By Young Erhiurhoro
LAGOS JANUARY 26TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Without doubt, Delta state APC is a house that is divided against itself. The political party is in chaos and comatose in Delta state. APC is in riff-raff with its leadership and followership in the state in recent times. With the recent ugly happenings in the party in the state, a deaf man doesn’t need to be told that, there is chaos or crisis in a market because if he sees people running, he will equally run.
This is exactly the true picture of the APC in Delta state. In this case, we have to be realistic and try as much as possible to hit the nail on the head without derail. In African cultural milieu, visitors are not allowed to detect the number of meats a house owner or the host should eat in his own soup. What is happening between Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and Chief Great Ogboru/Senator Omo-Agege in Delta state APC is like a son telling his father his past history. The more we try to cover this bitter and bigger truth, the more the truth revealed itself without hindrance.
Without doubt, Senator Omo-Agege came into APC as a tenant likewise his popular master, Chief Great Ogboru. Olorogun Emerhor invited two of them to squat with him in a house he had already built and to also cheerfully dine with him in a meal he had already cooked. Where were Senator Omo-Agege and Ogboru when Olorogun Emerhor was spending his hand earned millions of naira to establish APC in Delta state? Now that the coast is clear, both of them want to sail on the sea without respecting the tide and the flowing water. It’s quite unfortunate! Senator Omo-Agege should not easily forget how he came into PDP and what drove him from the same PDP at last. Omo-Agege came into the PDP because of the good vines planted by his father, late Justice James Omo-Agege. As he was dragged into the then Ibori government from London where he was practising law and business together. Immediately he came to Delta state government, he wanted everybody in the PDP to pay allegiance and obeisance to him, the same way the people used to obey and honour to his father. He claimed to be a dictator to PDP in Delta state. After the death of the father, power changed hands and the crown and mantle were forcefully taken from him and was pushed to the corner. This singular reason made Senator Omo-Agege to pulled out of the PDP. However, he was voted into the red chambers of the National Assembly through an unpopular political party in the then 2015 general elections . Why in the Senate, and as a crafty politician, he started having the plan to regain his lost crown and mantle. But in this time, not in the PDP since there was no pinhole for him to pass. He decided to skillfully pass through the APC. Then, he made himself as a sacrificial lamb and gentle dove to APC founders. This skirmish virtue made Senator Omo-Agege to knelt down before Olorogun Emerhor. Olorogun Emerhor, being a humble and generous person, happilyaccepted him into the party.
This was how Senator Omo-Agege came into the APC with tears in his eyes. Since he knew what he wants to do at the last hour, he also prepared the way for his master, Chief Great Ogboru to come and take express governorship ticket which he (Ogboru) usually craved for in every political party he belonged since 2007 when he started this unending political battles in Delta state politics. Immediately Senator Omo-Agege came into the Delta state APC, as his usual behaviour, he wanted to grab the crown and mantle of the party leadership from Olorogun O’tega Emerhor. First, he started with the issue of party leadership in the state. He publicly boasted that since he is the highest elected political figure in the party from Delta state, he supposed to be the party leader in the state and not Olorogun Emerhor again. Senator Omo-Agege has quickly forgotten the lice in his head and has also bitten the finger that fed him when he had no food to eat. This very leadership tussle lingered on for a very long time without any head way. The above issue was even aggravated by some self-centred loyalists to Senator Omo-Agege. These group of political prostitutes were not fighting for the good of Omo-Agege per se but for their own good in the true sense of it.
Secondly, the issue of the state leadership of the party culminated into the party congresses which now torn the party into pieces and factions in Delta state. The same Senator Omo-Agege said since, he is the self-acclaimed leader of the party in the state, only his loyalists should should take over the party executive leadership. This is what led to the present two factions of party executive members in the party. The Olorogun Emerhor faction and Senator Omo-Agege faction.
Thirdly, because he has promised heaven on earth to the party national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, his faction of the party excos were the ones recognized by Adams Oshiomole despite series of litigations on the issue in different courts of law in the country. Based on Oshiomole’s recognition of Omo-Agege’s faction as authentic excos, the ball was set for primary elections in the party in Delta state. Multiple primary elections were however conducted in APC in the state and they all produced different and multiple candidates. But at last, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, and not the national leadership of the party recognized the candidates from Omo-Agege’s faction and allowed the rest people to dance to their own music and tune.
Of a truth, Delta state is an important state in the federation which APC as a ruling party at the moment cannot lose in this 2019 general elections. Considering this obvious fact, the presidency, and not the national leadership of APC, through the Vice President Yemi Osibanjo was moved with selected few that really want to chew the kola nut when it is bitter to come to Delta state and broker peace to settle the imbroglio ravaging the party through actions and inactions of the said Senator Omo-Agege and his cohorts. Truly, the vice president came and took the bull by the horn. He dwelt and hampered on harmonization of both factions. He pointed out to both parties on the need for them to harmonize and also pointed out the dangers of disunity in the party to the detriment of ceding victory to the PDP in the state. Olorogun Emerhor who supposed to hesitate and drag issues didn’t do but the same Senator Omo-Agege, paid deaf ears to all the issues raised during the reconciliation process and reared his ugly face again to continue fomenting troubles. Till this very moment, Senator Omo-Agege is still believing his political god father, Comrade Adams Oshiomole that he will freely give Delta state to him and Chief Great Ogboru without progressive labour. The deaf house fly will at the end land in the hot oil.
Now, the conclusion of the matter is that, as a Deltan, I really crave for change of government in Delta state. I really want APC to win Delta state come 2019 general elections. But there is a clause in the matter, let it be known to Comrade Adams Oshiomole and his privies that, his powers may fail him when it comes to Delta state, the big heart of Nigeria. What he vowed or succeeded to do in other states that are having similar issues with Delta state cannot be successfully done or realized here in Delta state. Time is now far spent, the elections are just around the corner. I plead with him to call his Delta loyalists to order now. Let them accept the reconciliation process done by the vice president not just to respect Olorogun O’tega Emerhor but to enable APC fight a common fight of faith this time around. Without this, even majority of APC members in the state will vote against Omo-Agege and Ogboru and all those their loyal candidates. Majority of APC members in the state without hiding their feelings will cast their votes for the PDP, a known enemy for the past sixteen years to continue to milk the state dry instead of voting for a disguised friend who would later betray our trust and sell our rights for just a plate of porridge. My message here is to advise Senator Omo-Agege and Chief Great Ogboru to go back to their friend and brother, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor now that the sun is still shinning to mend this broken fence before the goats may decide to learn how to climb it. They should meet him now to put the APC house in order before the election because a house that is divided against itself, cannot stand the test of time. A word is enough for the wise!
Young Erhiurhoro; Kjc is a reporter and also the Publicity Secretary of APC in Evwreni Ward, Delta state.