2019 GUBER RACE: Enter Olorogun Emerhor with “Mainstream Delta APC” (MDA)
The 2015 governorship candidate of APC in Delta State, Olorogun Otega Emerhor (OON), last week, hosted a meeting/retreat with political like minds across the 25 local government areas of the state.
The meeting saw the coming together of foundation APC members/stakeholders in the state who have sustained the party from July 2013 to date and new members/stakeholders who have joined the party since then.
Over 80 key stakeholders across the length and breadth of the state that indeed constitute the heart and soul of the APC in the state honoured the invitation.
While the Exco/party structure members and political appointees in the state were deliberately not invited, the State Chairman and a few SWC members attended to observe proceedings at the retreat.
The meeting x-rayed the political landscape of Delta towards 2019 elections, the current state and battle readiness of APC in the state, the issue of candidates for the 2019 elections and, in particular, the candidature for governorship.
Those at the gathering also discussed the best way to project, protect and guarantee the political interests of the like minds in the state while enhancing and strengthening the capacity of the APC in the state.
They also looked into the issue of disagreements and wrangling among different political interests, including new comer groups in the party and resolved to find solutions that will promote cohesion in the party.
After a key note address by the convener, Olorogun Emerhor, the meeting broke into syndicate groups to consider all the issues noted above.
Resolutions
Arising from the syndicate groups, the following issues and resolutions were adopted by the gathering: that it was timely that the gathering was called; that the gathering hereby constitutes itself into a political group within the larger Delta APC and that the group shall be known as Mainstream Delta APC (MDA) to reflect the history and extent of its political positioning in Delta APC.
The meeting also asserted that the group shall have formal structures set up across the state and hold regular meetings; that the MDA shall be open to all APC members who share its ideals and shall strive to bring in all such new members. Furthermore, that MDA shall position itself as the most dominant political structure of APC in the state and shall strive as much as possible to have a forceful say in political contests within the APC; that MDA recognises the right of other APC stakeholders to come together under other tendencies and groups and that MDA shall be ready to seek cooperation and strong affiliations with such groups that may enhance and create a win win outcome for all.
MDA stated that it recognises that politics is a game of interest and that the various wrangling in the party do not amount to a mortal crisis for the party but represent an expected positioning of politicians.
In that wise, MDA asserted that it will work with all existing interests and groups to foster progress and unity for the party as much as possible.
The MDA stated that its primary driving goal shall be that APC Delta must produce the next Governor of Delta State; that the convener of MDA, Olorogun Emerhor, shall subject any ambition to be the governorship candidate of Delta APC in 2019 to the driving goal of MDA, to wit: that only a candidate that best guarantees the chances of APC in Delta to produce the next Governor, giving regards to all circumstances and calculations, including zonal arrangements, shall be adopted and supported by MDA; that on this score, MDA is available to partner with other viable groups or individuals to produce a winning candidate.
MDA adopted the mantra: Dominate To Win; that MDA recognises and appreciates the existing party exco and structures led by Prophet Jones Ode Erhue and pledged to continue to work with them for the advancement of the party in the state. The group also thanked them for sending representatives to observe
its proceedings; MDA called on the party exco to urgently constitute all the constitutional organs of the party in order to enhance participation and increase party activities in preparation for 2019 elections.
It thanked the convener for calling and hosting the retreat at this critical time in the affairs of the party. MDA appreciated his astounding leadership and unanimously adopted him as leader of MDA.
Pledging to work with him to achieve the overall goals of the group. MDA assured full loyalty to APC Delta State and committed to work solely for its cohesion and progress.
