Delta APC torn apart by mode of primaries

The two factions of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State have become divided over the directive of the national leadership of the party on usage of direct primaries for the emergence of candidates for next year’s elections.

While one backs the national leadership, the other wants indirect primaries.

The factional executive led by Prophet Jones Erue and loyal to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Chief Great Ogboru has declared that direct primaries is not feasible in Delta State, stating categorically that it cannot and will not undertake such.

At a meeting of the factional State Executive Committee held in Asaba on Friday with Omo-Agege in attendance, the faction resolved that due to lack of a credible APC members’ register in the state and their determination that no credible register can be achieved any time from now and also due to high level of security threats on them as APC members in Delta State, they will not undertake direct primaries but indirect primaries.

A chieftain of the party in the state, who does not want his name in print due to the sensitivity of the issue, said by the faction’s resolution, Omo-Agege and Erue executive seem to have either overruled the National Executive Committee of the APC or have thrown a challenge to the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, with regards to conducting direct primaries in Delta State, including the presidential primaries.

He also said the party was watching how the NEC intends to respond to Erue and Omo-Agege on their stand as it affects the presidential primaries and other primaries in Delta State.

The other APC faction in the state loyal to Olorogun Otega Emerhor and Chief Hyacinth Enuha has thrown its weight behind state and presidential direct primaries in Delta State.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Aghogho Abraham Orotomah for the “Mainstream Members of Delta State APC”, the faction said no politician worth his salt should fear facing voters.

The faction commended the Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee of the APC for its decision on direct primaries in the election of candidates for the upcoming elections.

It said: “It is no accident that even the advanced democracies from which we copied our presidential model, like the United States, insist on direct primaries in order to give the people a sense of ownership of the process, and the candidates a true sense of being the products of the will of the people.”