Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Indications emerged, on Thursday, in Asaba, that a ‘unity list’ will be used in the conduct of the Delta State congress to elect members of the state executive committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Earlier congresses in respect of election into the ward and local government executive committees were enmeshed in controversies following the emergence of parallel executives in some wars and local government areas.
Our correspondent gathered that the Appeal Panel set up to hear appeals emanating from the previous congresses upheld the use of a certain consensus unity list for the delegates’ election.
As a result, it was further learnt, the same unity list of executive committee members for the state will be relied upon for the conduct of the state congress in Asaba on Saturday.
Reliable sources at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja claimed that the panel dismissed earlier results allegedly announced by the sacked chairman of the congress committee for the state, Sani Dododo.
According to the sources, the report submitted by the Appeal Panel members including the chairman, Barr. Folajimi Olasehinde; secretary, Dubem Moghalu, and Aminu Abubakar to the national leadership of the APC, the panel based its decision on evidences provided during its sitting.
It was also gathered the decision has put to rest alleged parallel congresses held by the two tendencies of Emerhor/Enuha Ogboru/Ovie Omo-Agege, as the NWC has adopted the congress result submitted by Emmanuel Chindah-led local government and ward congress committee.
“Ahead of this Saturday state congress in Delta State, the Appeal Panel headed by Barr. Folajimi Olasehinde has submitted their report. From the report we sighted on Wednesday in APC headquarters in Abuja, the NWC only recognized the ‘unity list’ from Delta state.
“In this case, it is the unity list that will form the delegates that will elect the state executive at the Saturday congress.
“The Panel also held that Dododo having been removed as chairman has no legal backing to conduct any congress in the state. Chindah-led committee was the only properly authorized committee to conduct the local government congresses in Delta State,” the source said.
State chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Erue could not be reached as at the time of filing this report but a member of his executive who preferred not to be named in print because he is not authorised to speak on the contentious issue said it was unlikely that the committee that conducted the ward and local government congresses would be retained for the conduct of the state exercise.
The party chieftain informed our correspondent on phone that information about the appeals in respect of the previous has not be made public, hence it cannot be determined whether the ‘unity list’ will be adopted for the state congress.
Asked if the present state executive members were interested in seeking re-election, the source said “some persons may drop while some will be in new executive that will emerge on Saturday.”