Delta APC: Omo-Agege recruited Emefiele to work against Tinubu, party chieftains reveal, as crisis in the party continues
The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta State chapter took a worrisome dimension yesterday, when the party’s senatorial executive petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the anti-party activities perpetrated by the immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege.
According to the party, Omo-Agege lured Emefiele to participate in the APC primary in order to scuttle the chances of Bola Tinubu emerging presidential candidate and eventually win the February 25 presidential poll.
The claim was disclosed in a letter written to the president on Monday, titled: “Attempts by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to scuttle presidential ambition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through recruitment of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, anti-Tinubu campaign stance and anti-party activities.”
Signed by the Senatorial Chairmen, Tom Onah, Delta North; Nelson Ogharamadike, Delta South; Michael Orunefe, Delta Central and the Secretary, Inana Michael.
The statement partly read: “Your Excellency, you will recall that at a point ahead of the party’s National Convention in June 2022, members, especially those of us from Ika South Local Government Area, got information Omo-Agege had plans to issue party membership card to the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and we objected to his plans. We told him it was not morally right for Emefiele to contest and that it will affect your chances to secure the Presidential ticket.
“All efforts to make Omo-Agege see reasons fell on deaf ears but he convinced Emefiele and assured him that he would get the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, whom he planted as a spy, to help get Emefiele the ticket.”
“The name of the Ward Chairman is Mr. Nduka Erikpume and the Ika South APC Local Government Chairman is Hilary Fada Ibude, these are the two party Ward and Local Government officials that are signing expulsion letters against our State leaders by the instructions of Omo-Agege.”
The Delta APC allegation also recalled that during the 2023 general elections, party faithful, especially, those not in Omo-Agege’s camp, were sidelined and prevented from participating in the election activities, including the buying of forms to contest congresses and primaries.
“They did this to the extent that Omo-Agege was the only person in Delta who collected forms for the gubernatorial primaries. The same thing was applicable to Senatorial, House of Representatives, and State Assembly Primaries. Omo-Agege single-handedly nominated all the candidates in Delta State.
“His personal staff members were subsequently made party officials in Delta State, including the current APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, who was his legal aide. His political adviser, Omeni Sobotie, also became the party chairman. All aides in his office were allotted party positions in the state excos,” he alleged further.
The letter also contained tweets by Omo-Agege’s campaign posters involving the Obidient movement, and video clip evidence.
“Mr. President, we enclose here with posters and videos of Omo-Agege and Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, posing ahead of the election to the fact that he and his group never worked for you. Therefore, we call on you to ask Omo-Agege to free the State APC of his stranglehold so it can breathe freely.
“You can imagine that in an election held on the same day, the APC won two senatorial seats and could not garner the required 25 per cent votes in the state. This makes it obvious that Omo-Agege asked his followers not to vote for you”.
“Mr. President, if you have any doubt about the forgone, you have the security agencies at your command to investigate the points we have raised. We cannot continue this way in Delta, we therefore, call on you to ask Omo-Agege to free the State APC of his stranglehold on its neck so it can breathe freely. We know the majority of your supporters and followers are not in Omo-Agege’s camp, and that those in his faction did not vote for you.”
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Morka, has described the allegations against Omo-Agege as spurious.
“I am sure you that’s not the real Delta APC. Those guys are Cairo Ojougboh-sponsored organisation,” he said.