2019: Fresh crisis looms in Delta APC

The All Progressives Congress, APC, may be heading to fresh crisis in the Delta State except the rising political sentiments between the old members who identified themselves as Mainstream APC and the defectors from other political parties are clarified. The sentiments are already breeding latent rivalry between the two categories if APC members in the state, particularly, in the forthcoming contest for APC tickets for the 2019 general elections.

Accordingly, the Mainstream Delta APC, perhaps, in a show of self-confidence, in isolation, endorsed the adoption of direct primary to elect APC candidates for 2019 election by the national leadership of the party in Abuja.

Aghogho Abraham Orotomah, in a statement by the Media Team of the Mainstream Members of Delta State APC, declared: “there is no doubt that the decision to embrace direct primaries effectively returns power to the people, which is the true intent of the progressive politics which the APC espouses.

“We of the mainstream Delta APC not only fully support the position of our national leadership on direct primaries, we INSIST on it.”

They noted that, “The manipulative attainment of party control may be one thing; But the full and unfettered expression of the will of the people in an open vote is another kettle of fish. No political leader worth his or her salt can be afraid of such a vote.”

The group observed that the choice of direct primaries is even more apposite in Delta given the controversy that trailed the conduct of the congresses and the subsequent emergence of parallel executives.

“Today, even if one of the said executives has gained the recognition of the National Chairman, there remain cases in court which only direct primaries can effectively override.

“Any candidate selected through indirect primaries by the current executive risks having their elections voided depending on how the court cases go,” the group warned.

The statement also read: “Furthermore, direct primaries will help Delta APC establish its bonafide members as the party of reference in the state. It will enable APC showcase its membership and strength in Delta. As APC prepare for a showdown with the PDP, we must let the world know that our strength is not a mere claim but an existing reality.

“Thirdly, direct primaries would truly reveal who are the popular aspirants or not. At the heart of the crisis in Delta APC are persons who have been making highly faulty claims of being the most popular and acceptable aspirants who can deliver the state.

“We demand that the party must give them the opportunity to test their claims physically on the field by way of direct primaries. This will put paid to this controversy once and for all.

“Thus, as far as the Delta APC mainstream is concerned, on direct primaries we stand.”

On this note, Leaders and Elders of the mainstream of APC in Delta State, led by Olorogun Otega Emerhor and Chief Hyacinth Enuha, sent out a clear message on the desirability of direct primary elections in the state.

They commended the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the National Working Committee for the decision on Direct Primaries in the election of candidates for the 2019 elections.

They stated that in a democracy, power resides with the people.

“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.

“It is in this light that we commend the towering wisdom of not only the leadership of the party, but that of our great national leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, who has agreed to subject his own candidacy to direct primaries, as well as the indefatigable Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and others who have thrown their not inconsiderable weight behind this initiative,” they declared.