The recent endorsement of the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for reelection by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Isoko Nation, has been kicked out by the State Working Committee of the Party, describing the event as state-managed by a crop of suspended members.
In a strong worded reaction by the Party, they alluded the actions of the duo of Chief Joe Arausi and Hon. Abikelegba Odhegolo as financially induced and a journey to political oblivion, stressing that they have no locus standing to speak for APC in Isoko Nation and will not lose sleep over their unwarranted and unsavoury political journey.
The reaction of Delta APC contained in a Press Statement and made available to Journalists, further assured its teeming members and supporters to keep hope alive, as the evil machinations against APC in Delta State is because the enemies and political vampires within and outside Delta State know that the time for the liberation of Delta State is at hand.
According to the Statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Barr. Sylvester Imonina, as obtained by THE SUMMIT, reads;
MEMBERS OF ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS, ISOKO NATION AND DELTA STATE WERE NOT PARTIES TO CHIEF JOE ARAUSI AND HON. ABIKELEGBA ODHEGOLO’S JOURNEY TO POLITICAL OBLIVION.
The attention of the State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Delta State Chapter, have been drawn to a stage-manage and purported endorsement of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa by two friends, Chief Joe Arausi and Hon. Abikelegba Odhegolo, who held themselves out as acting at the instance of APC leaders of Isoko Nation.
Ordinarily, the Party would not have bothered itself to comment on the charade that took place at Chief Arausi’s House, but for the sake of some gullible members of the public, hence the reaction of the Party, and it should be noted that:
(1) Chief Joe Arausi and Hon. Abikelegba Odhegolo, some time ago, had misunderstanding with their APC Wards’ Executive over their anti-party dispositions for almost a period of one year.
(2) That some members of the SWC of our great Party and some leaders of thought from Isoko Nation waded into the political battle of the duo, in view of the fact that the Party wanted cohesion and peace at all levels of the Party.
(3) That Chief Arausi and Hon. Odhegolo refused to listen to voice of reason, rather, they resorted to more orchestrated divisive tendencies.
(4) That because of the trouble they were fomenting, APC, Oleh, Ward 1 suspended Chief Arausi from the Party, while members of Executive of Ozoro Ward 2, in their own wisdom kept Hon. Odhegolo at arms length.
(5) That Chief Arausi and Hon. Abikelegba were not and had never been part of APC caucus or Leaders’ Council in Isoko land.
(6) There was no member of APC of Isoko Nation that joined Chief Arausi and Hon. Odhegolo in their self-seeking pursuit, as the duo were/are no longer members of the Party.
These were the state of things as it concerns the duo before now. Though, it was not the wish of APC that Chief Arausi and Hon. Odhegolo stray away from the Party, and journey to political oblivion. However, the Party had to stamp her authority on the position of their Wards Executive, since Chief Arausi and Hon. Odhegolo were unrepentant in their unholy ventures. APC, Delta State did not, and will not lose sleep over their unwarranted and unsavoury political journey.
It was a known fact that within the Party, they were playing the role of Bull in China shop. Their dispositions towards the Party were very unhealthy to the survival of the Party.
All Progressives Congress, Delta State, wants to assure all teeming members and supporters of the Party that despite the fact that some persons are trying to paint the Party in bad light by creating false impression of our great Party, the Party leadership is doing all within her power to consolidate on the peace and harmony achieved so far in the Party.
Deltans are enjoined to keep hope alive, as the evil machinations against APC in Delta State is because the enemies and political vampires within and outside Delta State know that the time for the liberation of Delta State is at hand.” The statement concluded.
In the same light, Comrade Egbogbo Vincent, APC Chairman, Oleh Ward 01 in Isoko South Local Government Area, has also described the reported endorsement as an act of desperation by a sinking PDP in Delta State.
According to him, “The attention of the APC in Oleh Ward 01, Delta State has been drawn to a spurious claim by the PDP in Delta State, ascribing the leadership of the party to one of the suspended former leader in the person of Chief Joe Arausi.
“The party wishes to emphasize unambiguously, that Chief Joe Arausi and his co-travellers have long been suspended from the party due to their anti-party activities and as such, lacks the locus to speak for the APC.”
The ward chairman added, “We wish to further state that at no time, was the said Chief Joe Arausi appointed a member of the so-called elders council he and his co-travellers alluded to in their financially induced meeting with Dr. Okowa.
“Party members are hereby enjoined to ignore the misinformation and see same as an act of desperation by a sinking PDP.”
