Delta APC Crisis: Kachikwu asked to take charge

– SGF Engr. Babachir Lawal has charged Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to take charge of the leadership of the Delta state APC

– Lawal gave the charge at a fence-mending meeting among the various factions of the party in the conference room of the Office of the SGF in Abuja

– The SGF said the crisis in several state chapters of the party was foisted by the leadership of the party

The minister of state for petroleum Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has been charged to take charge of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta state following a deepening leadership crisis rocking the party.

Secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) Engr. Babachir Lawal who gave the charge on Monday, October 10 in Abuja criticised the national leadership of the party for its tactlessness in resolving the crisis in the party. Lawal, according to Vanguard, gave the charge at a fence-mending meeting among the various factions of the party in the conference room of the Office of the SGF.

The meeting had in attendance party elders from the different tendencies with the exception of the factional chairman of the party, Prophet Erue Jones and the party’s 2015 governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor.

Others at the meeting include, Dr. Kachikwu, party leader, Senator Francis Okpozo, Chief Great Ogboru, Chief Ayiri Emami, former Speaker, Victor Ochei, former members of the House of Representatives, Temi Harriman and Halims Agoda, former chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Adolo Okotie-Eboh, Richard Odibo, Chief Hyacinth Enuha, among many others.

Sources reported that Lawal who presided over the meeting accusing the National Working Committee (NWC) of messing up the integrity of the party for crumbs. The SGF said the crisis in several state chapters of the party was foisted by the leadership of the party.

“You have to take charge of the party, Kachikwu. We cannot leave the party in the hands of those people,” Lawal told Kachikwu, even as he waived mutterings by some that Kachikwu was a late entrant into the party,” Lawal said.

“Peace and progress cannot be held down because of a few people. How many are they?” In response, Kachikwu, promised the SGF and the stakeholders that he would from henceforth, take his position and provide leadership and unite the party in the state. He however dismissed insinuation that he failed to show leadership.

The crisis in the party degenerated about 18 months ago when the Jones executive was declared illegal upon a court action filed by Okotie-Eboh. Meanwhile, the crisis rocking the APC has deteriorated as some members of the party’s national working committee (NWC) have concluded plans to demand for the resignation of the APC national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.

The Sun reports that that revolt against Oyegun follows his alleged role in the party’s Ondo governorship primary that saw the nomination given to Rotimi Akeredolu as the party’s governorship candidate.

naij.com