Ogboru Urges Supporters In APC To Resist Imposition of Candidates -…Flag Off Light Of APC Pressure Group By Dafe Rukevwe

The gubernatorial candidate for Alliance for Democracy, Democratic Peoples’ Party and Labour Party in the 2003, 2007 and 2015 Delta State governorship elections, has vowed to resist imposition of candidates by politicians in All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, urging his supporters to do same.

Speaking in Abraka recently, during the inauguration of Light of APC, a pressure group, where chieftains and members of the party from the 25 local government areas were represented, he called on those present to reject been treated as second class APC members in the state.

He called on APC to take a clue from the leaders of Peoples Democratic Party who have resolved to henceforth allow members of the party decide who emerges as candidates to contest elections.

Ogboru blamed the loss of the party at the just concluded Warri South Local Government bye-election for the Delta State House of Assembly seat on imposition of candidates by moneybags in the party.

Continuing, he opined that before 2017 ends, the party in the state would come out with a resolution that will satisfy everyone and give every interest group a sense of belonging.

In the same vein, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central, said that the APC that ran for election in 2015 cannot be the APC that will lead the party to victory in 2019, noting that Labour Party despite the commanding presence in the state was not capable of winning elections alone, hence the decision to join APC.

He added: ”Some people go around bearing titles of leader of APC in Delta State,” saying that he is supposed to be addressed as the leader of APC in Delta State since he is the highest elected political officer in the state.

He urged party members present to refuse to be marginalized by some APC leaders in the state who try to exert their will against that of the majority.

“All we are fighting for is a governor of APC extraction in Osadebe House. President Buhari will not come to Delta State to rig election for anyone; but I am sure that under him, our victory cannot be stolen.

“2019 governorship election in Delta State will be based on the capacity of candidates to win and not through inheritance by zoning,” he averred.

A former Secretary General, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG, and member Board of Trustees of the APC, Chief Frank Kokori who also spoke during the inauguration, expressed optimism that the party in the state was now more formidable and election ready.

Also speaking, Mrs. Veronica Ogbuagu opined that women suffer the brunt when a bad government is in place, adding that at such times, the women are forced to play the role of the man and woman at the same time.

She prayed that God will lead the group to victory and promised that when this happens, the women will be carried along.

She berated those that have sought to hold sway in the party in the state, saying that these are the same persons that lost woefully at the last general elections.

“I rejected the call by some party stakeholders to be the Vice-Chairman of the reconciliation committee in the state because they were not ready to listen to me and consider the opinion and interests of the different groups in the party.”

Also speaking, Sir Richard Odibo disclosed that they will remain in APC, but called on the party in the state to ensure that things are done rightly.

He said that the reason for them refusing to attend the inauguration of party executive members in the state was because they had no input in the leadership of the party that was inaugurated on the said day.

Earlier on, during his welcome address, the Chairman of Light of APC Delta, Evang. Ossai Abbey said: “The success of today’s meeting is the beginning of the race for us to possess our possession.”

Chief Emma Ogoru moving a notion to birth the pressure group that was coined from The Light of Labour Party, a brainchild of Great Ovedje Ogboru resulted in the birth of The Light of APC Delta State, a pressure group that will according to Ejanavi Esiekpe, speaking for the group’s Directorate of Media and Communication said that the pressure group was formed to accommodate likeminded people with common interests.

The motto of Light of APC Delta State, ‘Winning Together’ was suggested by Omo-Agege and unanimously endorsed by those present.