Prominent leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State lamented on Sunday that the state has been under bondage of underdevelopment since 1999, declaring that 2023 is a year of liberation.
They therefore declared that they are serving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governing the state a quit notice, stating the party’s intention to win all elective positions.
Those who attended meeting of the Delta Central APC Leaders and Stakeholders in Effurun included Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, who is also the presidential campaign spokesperson, Festus Keyamo SAN; former General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Chief Frank Kokori; founding leader and 2015 APC governorship candidate in the state, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor; the state APC Chairman, Elder Omene Sobotie; state Vice Chairman for Delta Central, Chief Paulinus Akpeki; and former Commissioner for Education, Dr Veronica Ogbuagu.
The meeting also unanimously endorsed the candidacy of APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, insisting that power must return to the South in 2023.
In his remarks, Senator Omo-Agege, who is the APC governorship candidate in the state, harped on the need for unity.
He said he was motivated by a desire to arrest receding hope among the people and build a state where their future is brighter than their past.
He added that fairness demands that power returns to the South in 2023 since President Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner, is about completing eight years in office.
“We need to be united to be able to confront this monster. These are people who keep repeating the same thing and expect a different outcome.
“Having served as President for eight years, it is only fair that power returns to the South. It is for that reason that Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has been labelled for who he is: a traitor.
“We are going to change the narrative in Delta. We are going to stand by Asiwaju Tinubu for President. Selling him won’t be a difficult task. We saw what he did in Lagos”, he said.
Also, convener of the meeting, Keyamo accused the PDP government of running a clueless and shortsighted administration.
He said the agenda of the PDP government in the state is to impoverish the people and make life difficult for them.
“The jacket of disunity is already in PDP. We will rescue the people from hunger, bondage and from Egypt. The battle will be door to door, unit to unit. They are using primordial sentiments of Muslim-Muslim ticket to divert attention”, he said.
He noted that Tinubu would replicate his achievements as Lagos State Governor in the country if elected as president next February.
“The example set by Asiwaju Tinubu in Lagos is enough to tell us that he will do more. So Ovie Omo-Agege has a huge task on his hand. He is going to first set a blueprint for development; not chop-I-chop. Just like Asiwaju did, he set a blueprint and they are still enjoying till today”, he stated.
While elder statesman, Kokori expressed delight that the state is having a “real Urhoboman” vying for the position, Emerhor said: “This election is going to be at the unit and ward level. Only leaders can’t do it alone, the followers must help us. This unity meeting is a big step”.
The event was also graced by APC senatorial candidate for Delta Central, Chief Edeh Dafinone; House of Representatives and state Assembly candidates across the eight local government area of Delta Central; and other stakeholders.
