Delta APC crisis deepens over adoption of indirect primaries

The crisis rocking the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has deepened at the weekend over the refusal of the Prophet Jones Erue faction of the party in the state to adopt direct primaries for choosing candidates for the 2019 general elections.

The refusal led to a frontline governorship aspirant in the party, Professor Pat Utomi to stage a walk out of the stakeholders meeting of Erue led faction.

This is coming even as the other faction led by Chief Cyril Ogodo adopted direct primary to choose candidates in line with the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee’s decision.

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The Delta State chapter of the APC has been in crisis since factions held parallel congresses in the state. All efforts to reconcile the factions have proved abortive.

Supporters of another governorship aspirant, Great Ogboru, were said to have attempted preventing Utomi, who belonged to the Erue faction, from presenting his speech at the stakeholders meeting, leading to a clash of the supporters.

Utomi said after staging a walk out: “Those who claim to be very popular should come and test their popularity with the party members through direct primaries and not through handpicked delegate elections.”

The Erue faction however hinged its decision for indirect primaries on insecurity, adding that the prevalence of insecurity in the state does not favour direct primaries.

The faction also said it wants to avoid a repeat of the tension during the last congresses that led to the death of a ward chairmanship aspirant in the Ughelli South council area.

 

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