Confusion As Delta ADC Leaders Disagree Over Congress Date

The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress, (ADC) in Delta State has taken another dimension.

While a faction led by the George Timinimi-led Transition Leadership Team (TLT) has clarified that the party’s congresses will hold as originally scheduled from the 9th to 11th, April, 2026, the party chairman, Austin Okolie -led faction has given another date.

The clarification is contained in a statement issued in Asaba by the secretary of the Delta State ADC TLT, Mr Emeka Ozegbe who asked members to ignore any contrary announcement while the national convention is slated for April14.

Ozegbe urged the ADC supporters and members in Delta State to disregard the purported announcement to the contrary by one Austin Okolie, adding that the said Okolie was acting against the overall interest of the party.

“The task of organizing congresses was the responsibility of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

“State chapters of the party are to comply and implement the directives of the national leadership of the party.

“This position was amplified recently by the NWC to the state chairmen of the party at a meeting in Abuja.

“The party’s congresses will hold as scheduled and admonished ADC supporters and party faithful to remain resolute, focused and steadfast towards hitch free congresses on the 9th to 11th of April”, he said.

The statement pointedly enjoined members of the party not to succumb to the antics of those who are opposed to the growing profile and ultimate success of the ADC in the next general elections.

Recalled that Okolie had made an advertorial claiming that Prof Pat Utomi and not Chief Great Ogboru is the State Leader of ADC in the state while George Timinimi disagreed.

He allegedly instructed party members to collect expression-of-interest forms for congresses exclusively from the Midwifery Road secretariat in Asaba, threatening to invalidate forms obtained elsewhere.

But the TLT insisted this directive is misleading, as forms are also officially available at a separate leadership secretariat along DLA Road, a standard arrangement in coalition politics.

Okolie has also reportedly refused to attend a unification meeting organised by other state leaders in compliance with Senator Mark’s directive to consolidate all party tendencies ahead of the congresses.

However, the leadership team likened Okolie’s conduct to that of an agent provocateur, warning that his unilateral moves risk misleading well-meaning but uninformed party supporters.

“Some ill-informed but innocent supporters of Austin Okolie are still in an ill-fated ship heading to hit the rocks. The ship is rudderless, has no sails, and no compass,” the statement reads.