A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, has faulted the Olorogun O’tega Emerhor-led reconciliation committee of APC in Delta State, accusing it of deepening divisions rather than resolving the differences among few leaders in the party following the outcome of the last election.
Speaking to a team of journalists at his country home at Ibusa over the weekend on his position on key issues surrounding the committee’s recommendations and their implications, Senator Nwaoboshi highlighted constitutional violations and leadership missteps that he believes have created a crisis in the party.
“The reconciliation committee, instead of uniting the party, has further polarized it,” Nwaoboshi said. “As someone with a long history in politics, I know the importance of adhering to party constitutions. Unfortunately, the committee is proposing leadership structures that are not recognized by our party’s constitution, which is a recipe for chaos.”
Nwaoboshi cited the proposal to establish a Leadership Council at all levels of the party as unconstitutional, arguing that the APC already has elected executives at the state, senatorial, local government, ward, and unit levels. “Creating an extra organ outside the provisions of the constitution will only create more crises,” he warned.
He also frowned at the recommendation for Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the APC’s 2023 governorship candidate, a former Deputy President of the Senate and the number six-man, to co-chair the party’s leadership with a serving minister. “This contravenes Nigeria’s order of precedence, which places a senator above a minister,” he explained. “As a former Deputy President of the Senate, Omo-Agege cannot co-chair with a minister. Such a move would undermine the integrity of the party’s hierarchy, considering the fact that Omo-Agege was a member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the APC, Deputy President of the Senate and currently a member of the Caucus.
Nwaoboshi further argued that it is improper to even place the minister above the two sitting APC senators in the party. “We also have two sitting APC senators in the state. It is illogical that an appointee of the President, cleared by the Senate, would be superior to those who cleared him. If the President removes the minister from office tomorrow, what happens then? A senator, on the other hand, has a fixed four-year term and can only be removed through death or impeachment. It is unnecessary to create conflict between Senator Omo-Agege and a minister,” he said.
He attributed the party’s internal strife to pre-existing factions. “This crisis predates some of us joining APC. There were two factions led by Omo-Agege and Barrister Festus Keyamo. The Omo-Agege group prevailed in the last congress, but now the Keyamo faction, emboldened by a ministerial appointment, is trying to assert dominance. This is unacceptable,” he added.
Nwaoboshi further criticized attempts to bypass Delta North in the zoning of the APC state chairmanship, insisting that the district must produce the next chairman for the sake of equity. “After eight years of leadership from Delta South under Prophet Jones Erue, it is Delta North’s turn. This must be respected to ensure peace within the party,” he asserted.
Addressing concerns about zoning arrangements in Delta North, Nwaoboshi provided a historical perspective. He recounted his pivotal role in zoning agreements that ensured equitable power-sharing among the three blocks in Delta North—Ndokwa, Ika, and Aniocha-Oshimili. “The principle of equity, justice, and fair play has guided our decisions over the years. It is critical that we continue to honour these agreements to maintain unity and trust,” he said.
The senator also emphasized the importance of upholding these principles in the 2027 elections. “If an Ika or Aniocha-Oshimili person were to contest for the senate in 2027, it would undermine our zoning agreement. I can run, but I remain committed to equity and fairness in Delta politics,” Nwaoboshi stated.
In a pointed remark, Nwaoboshi accused the reconciliation committee of pursuing personal ambitions rather than prioritizing the party’s unity. “Their actions are escalating tensions rather than resolving them. I warned the committee when they visited me that their recommendations would not be accepted by the national body,” he revealed.
Senator Nwaoboshi, therefore, called on the APC leadership to focus on genuine reconciliation and adherence to the party’s constitution. “Delta APC needs unity and strategic leadership, not unconstitutional proposals that serve personal interests. We must put the collective interest of the party and the state above all else,” he said.
As Delta APC navigates its internal challenges, Senator Nwaoboshi’s call for constitutional adherence and equitable leadership serves as a reminder of the critical need for cohesion to achieve political stability and progress.
