By Ovie Okpare
The founding leader and former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor has said 2023 remains a big opportunity for the APC to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Emerhor, however, said the APC will only achieve such feat if the leaders of the party in the state come together and work for the interest of the party ahead of 2023 governorship election in the state.
The APC leader spoke at his country-home in Evwreni in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state when the chairman and members of the reconstituted Delta APC Registration and Validation Committee visited him on Saturday.
Emerhor joined by other leaders of the party including Chief Fred Olokor, Mr John Onojeharho, Chief Cyril Ogodo, Chief Malachi Orode and host of others to receive members of the committee led by its chairman and former deputy governor of Ekiti State, Surveyor Abiodun Aluko, said he was confident that the party will win the state in 2023.
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He lamented that opposition in the state has failed to defeat PDP in the state owing to internal bickering and infighting within the opposition, saying that he was working with other leaders of the party to ensure that the party remains a formidable force in subsequent election.
Emerhor acknowledged other leaders critical to this task for the unity of the party to include the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Chief Festus Keyamo (SAN), Chief Great Ogboru and a few other leaders, who together controls the APC followers in the state.
“There’re key things that have come up from what the Committee Chairman has said in his short address. Delta State is winnable for APC, and the opportunity to win Delta State is very bright in 2023 as there would not be a sitting governor to contend with.
“Unfortunately, PDP has been running this state for over 20years and we have made several attempts as opposition trying to unseat them (PDP). But the reason we have failed so far is because we have not really come together as one. We have always fought against ourselves. Each time we fight against ourselves, we play into the hands of the PDP.
He posited that as the Founder leader of the party, he has seen and experienced this first hand. That he also believes that the other leaders of the party are keenly aware that only unity and when we all leaders work together that we will be in position to win and liberate Delta State. He decried any attempt by two or more leaders to gang up against one or two others. That is the losing formula that we have applied over the years. We must have one united party, it is the only winning formula.
According to him, “Iam hopeful that everyone of us have realized that unless we all come together and work together as one, that prize we seek, would continue to elude us. I have came to that realisation because in 2019, when the party was split into two, the PDP were the happiest for it.
“ The party registration of members that we are currently engaged in is the first step in this direction. We must aim to register a minimum of 400,000 to 500,000. With such membership, we are already on our way to winning. Our emphasis, therefore is to open up the registration, bring more people in and expand the party.
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The meeting of leaders we held in Abuja and the process we agreed to has brought some sanity to the exercise. The various tendencies in the party are currently seizing the opportunity to work together to drive the process”.
Olorogun Emerhor requested the Committee to stay in close touch with all the leaders as mentioned to guarantee the success of the exercise. He also encouraged the Committee to preach and emphasize unity in their final report to the party at the National level, reguesting that they demand a further intervention of the national leadership to cement the unity of the party in Delta State.
In his remark, the chairman of the Delta APC Registration and Revalidation Committee, Surveyor Abiodun Aluko, said members of the committee were at the home of Olorogun Emerhor to seek his support for the ongoing exercise and to thank him for his support for the growth of the party in Nigeria.
Aluko, a former deputy governor of Ekiti State, commended Emerhor for his stance on the unity of the party. He enjoined leaders of the party to imbibe the message of unity. He acknowledged that he is in touch with the other leaders and will continue to consult all the leaders to secure the success of the exercise.
Accompanied by other members of the committee including Amb. Moses Kyari, Ahmed Attah, Emenike Uzor Esq., Hon. Musa Shaibu and Hon. Nwoba Onyekachi, he urged Emerhor and other leaders of the party to stay the course of unity as they hope to be back to celebrate an APC win in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
