Delta Aspirants Protest APC Leaders’ Endorsement

Meetings convened by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to endorse aspirants are causing ripples in Delta State.

An aspirant for the House of Representatives for Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal constituency on the platform of the APC, Hon Ossai Nicholas Ossai, raised an alarm over alleged plans by some leaders in the constituency to disenfranchise members of the party who are eligible to vote in the primary election today.

Hon Ossai, a former member of the National Assembly said some leaders have connived to rig the election by reducing the number of voters to 100 and forwarding the list to the electoral panel from Abuja for the primaries.

He said such an unconstitutional act would make it impossible for card-carrying APC members to vote in the election.

The former lawmaker cited the Electoral Law 86, Article 20, subsections 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the APC constitution as against such “dubious plans” to disenfranchise eligible APC members from voting for the candidates of their choice during the party primaries.

He called on the leaders of the party harbouring such plans to desist as his followers would resist such unconstitutional act.

Hon Ossai also commended the Governor of Delta state, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for his commitment and transparency in ensuring that the best candidates that would represent the party in the 2027 general elections are elected at the primaries.

In Isoko North local government area of Delta State, a meeting to endorse aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections reportedly descended into chaos on Friday following protests by aggrieved House of Assembly aspirants.

The gathering, held at the Isoko North Council Secretariat in Ozoro, was organised to endorse President Bola Tinubu, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Jonathan Ukodhiko, the member representing Isoko Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, and Orobosa Ashakah, an aspirant for the Isoko North Constituency seat.

However, the endorsement of Ashakah allegedly triggered a heated protest by two APC House of Assembly aspirants, a female aspirant, Princess Anebo, and her male counterpart who rejected what they described as an attempt to impose a sole candidate on the party and the people.

Sources at the meeting confirmed that tension erupted shortly after a motion seeking the adoption of Ashakah as the sole APC aspirant for the constituency was moved by one Miller Akpoili, a former president of Ozoro Kingdom, and seconded by Pascal Emeluaha, leader of the Isoko North legislative arm.

Moments after the motion was moved, Princess Anebo, said to be the only female APC House of Assembly aspirant for the constituency and daughter of the traditional ruler of Ellu Kingdom, openly rejected the endorsement alongside another male aspirant.

The aggrieved aspirants described the process as a “kangaroo arrangement” and “an exercise in futility,” insisting that the endorsement lacked legitimacy.

Speaking during the protest, Princess Anebo declared that she remained firmly in the race and would not be intimidated into abandoning her ambition.

According to her, no individual or group within the party has the authority to impose a candidate on other aspirants still contesting for the position.

Supporters of the female aspirant confirmed that the protest disrupted the meeting for several hours, as some party members openly condemned the endorsement exercise.