By Uche Amunike
The post-election crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has worsened as Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, APC governorship candidate in Delta state, has been expelled from the party over alleged anti-party activities.
Recall that on March 18, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege lost to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sheriff Oborevwori
His expulsion was endorsed by the party Chairman, Ulebor Isaac and 24 other members of the Delta APC and the document validating his expulsion, released to Newsmen, Monday.
It read in part: ‘After due deliberation of the Notice of Resolution of Expulsion of Senator Ovie Omo Agege as a member of the Party by the executive committee of the Orogun ward and Ughelli North Local Government Chapter dated 20th March, 2023 and accordance to the provision of Article 21.2 (D)(II)(VII) 21.3 and 21.5(g) of the constitution 2022 (as amended) we unanimously Resolved and Adopted the expulsion of Senator Ovie Omo Agege as a member of the Party.’
‘Consequently Senator Ovie Omo Agege HEREBY stands expelled as a member of the party with immedaite effect for various offences committed and acts of anti party activities and gross misconduct that has brought shame and ridicule to the image of the party in the state which affected the party in the just concluded elections’, it continued.
The Central body of the APC in Delta state also issued a communique to Newsmen, same day, acknowledging that they had received Senator Ovie Omo-Agege’s expulsion letter from his ward and wondered why he did not appeal his expulsion after 7 days as was expected.
In the communique, which was signed by Chairman of the Central body, Sir Oruafe Micheal, he demanded that the National leadership of the party should approve of Omo Agege’s expulsion since he did not appeal it after receiving the correspondence.
Hear him: ‘The Local Government has to approve the expulsion, and forward it to the state. We are calling on the National leadership of the party to approve Omo-Agege’s expulsion immediately without delay. This development shouldn’t in anyway affect members of the party.’
‘They should go about their normal business, as the call is for the benefit of the state party.’
Incidentally, the other faction of the APC in Delta state which is led by Omeni Sobotie has dismissed the expulsion of Omo-Agege with a wave of his hands, describing them as ‘rabble rousing Impostors.’
Speaking for his faction, through a statement signed by the state secretary, Peter Akarogbe, Sobotie said that the people who signed the purported expulsion letter were dubious impostors who were reckless with their publication.
Part of the statement read: ‘We, the legitimate and only recognised State Executive Committee of the party, at the national headquarters, in consultations with all other levels in the chain, hereby disclaim the publication as fraudulent, a ruse and of no consequence.’
‘Therefore, it should be disregarded and ignored as the handiwork of mischief-makers by all party faithfuls and the general public.’
The statement also urged security agencies ‘to take note of the wanton rascality and the unscrupulous intent to cause disharmony and a breach of public peace.’
It also urged ‘the general public, party faithfuls and stakeholders to discountenance the said publication, and view it as the worthless undertaking of men with crooked intentions.’
