The crisis rocking All Progressives Congress (APC), in Delta State has taken another dimension as the Delta North and Central senatorial zones have condemned the plan to make a senatorial vice chairman emerge acting party chairman in the state.
The State Working Committee (SWC) of the party, last week, bypassed the APC state deputy chairman, Barr Francis Obigbor, and appointed Chief Paulinus Akpeki, a senatorial vice chairman, as the acting state chairman.
The substantive state chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie, is on medical vacation.
The Delta North and Central chapters of the party described the plan to make Akpeki acting chairman as an audacious and ill-fated attempt.
The two senatorial districts said the SWC decision was politically motivated, serving hidden agendas rather than upholding democratic accountability.
While the Delta North APC made the assertion in a statement released by leader of the party in the Senatorial District, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, on Monday, the party chairmen from Delta Central made their stand known in a statement signed by Onoabedje Obakpororo, Chairman of APC Ughelli/North Chapter and Chairman of all chairmen in the Delta Central Senatorial District, alongside Comrade Wilfred Ileleji, Chairman of APC Uvwie Chapter and Secretary of the Delta Central Chairmen’s forum.
They described the appointment as unconstitutional and a threat to party unity.
According to Nwaoboshi, the brazen move by Akpeki and cohort is a clear and present danger to the stability and unity of the party.
“We unequivocally and unanimously endorse the emergence of Barr Francis Obigbor as the Acting Chairman of APC Delta state, in strict accordance with the APC constitution.
“As the Deputy State Chairman, Barr Obigbor is the rightful and legitimate person to assume the role of Acting Chairman.
“We will not stand idly by while the Delta Central Senatorial District attempts to rob the Delta north senatorial district of the position to which it was duly elected at the last congress.
“The APC constitution is crystal clear on the matter of succession, and we will not allow any individual or group to flout the constitution and impose their will on the party.
“We warn those involved in this attempted coup to desist from their nefarious activities and respect the constitution”, the statement reads.
Also, the chairmen of the eight local government chapters in Delta Central APC also rejected the appointment of Akpeki as the acting state chairman of the party in Delta state.
They argued that this appointment violates Article 14.2 of the APC Constitution. According to the article, the deputy state chairman should assume the role of state chairman in the event of a vacancy, not a senatorial vice chairman.
They maintained that adherence to this established protocol is critical for ensuring party stability and maintaining democratic principles.
As a result, the chairmen have called for the immediate reversal of Akpeki’s appointment to align with the APC constitution.
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