We’ll Meet In Court Says Prophet Erue
By Ovie Okpare
The five-man disciplinary committee set up by a faction of the Delta State Working Committee (SWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to probe its State Chairman, Prophet Jones Erue, has released its findings.
A copy of the report obtained on Thursday by NIGER DELTA TODAY Online revealed how the state chairman of the party, Prophet Erue, allegedly misappropriated over N230 million belonging to the party.
They accused the embattled chairman of running the party as ‘emperor’ without no regards to other members of the SWC and found him guilty of the allegation gross misconducts levelled against him by some leaders of the party.
The crisis in Delta APC worsened recently following the suspension of some members of the SWC including the state deputy chairman, Engr. Elvis Ayomanor and seven others for alleged gross misconduct and acts contravening the party’s constitution.
However, dissatisfied with the suspension of Ayomanor and others, the then State Secretary of the party, Mr Chidi Okonji, constituted a five-man committee of alleged embezzlement of party’s fund under the care of the Prophet Erue whom in turn had also suspended his former secretary.
The committee in their report obtained by NIGER DELTA TODAY Online on Thursday among other things demanded for the sack of embattled Erue for being alleged unfit to continue as the state chairman of the party.
The report was signed by all five members ofthe panel including its chairman, Pastor Godwin Akpovie; Secretary, Hon. Leo Ebinim and members of the committee, Prof. Festus Arunaye, Hon. David Yinka Atie and Hon. Lawrence Akpeti.
The report reads, “The Committee discovered that there was no probity and accountability in the running of the Finances of Delta State APC by Prophet Jones Ode Erue.
“He operated the accounts of Delta State APC as his personal accounts without thorough knowledge and consent of other co-signatories to the bank accounts and other SEC Members. Over N230m was misappropriated by him.”
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It the report alleged that despite the huge funds that accrued to the party before, during and after the 2019 general elections, the Delta APC was indebted to the tune of over N4.1 million which included 16 months unpaid staff salaries and others.
The committee stated that after six sittings, it reportedly met with notable elders/leaders and members of the party who provided oral and documentary evidences against Prophet Erue from where he reached its conclusion on Sunday, 23 February.
“Despite the fact that Prophet Jones Ode Erue was aware of the five-man disciplinary committee, he willfully failed, neglected and refused to appear before the committee to defend the allegations made against him”, it said.
On the suspension of some officials of the party, the committee said, “The Committee also found out that Prophet Ode Erue without convening either a meeting of the State working Committee or the State Executive Committee unilaterally suspended the Delta State Deputy Chairman (Engr. Elvis Ayomanor), State Woman leader (Dr. Mrs Janet Oyubu), Delta South Senatorial Chairman (Mr. Tosan Awani) and 5 others for alleged misconduct.
“This action by Prophet Jones Ode Erue is not only unconstitutional, but it is against the Principles of fair hearing as enshrined in APC Constitution.
“The State Secretary of APC Mr. Chidi Okonji and his Assistant, Barr Ese Agiri who are the persons empowered by APC Constitution to issue Notices of Meetings of State Working Committee and State Executive Committee testified before the Five Man Committee that meetings was held where decision to annul the purported suspension of some members of the State and LGA Exco members was taken.”
“The Committee findings revealed that Prophet Jones Ode Erue as the State Chairman of APC in Delta State failed in his responsibility to convene State Executive Committee and State working Committee meetings since after the general elections in March 2019.
“More worrisome is the failure/refusal of the State Chairman to convene meetings of the State working committee since March 2019. By the provisions of Article 13 (13)(B) at page 50 of the APC Constitution (as amended) the State Working Committee is saddled with the responsibility of carrying out the day – to – day running of the affairs of the party.
“Regrettably the Committee found out that Prophet Jones Ode Erue has been running APC Delta State as an EMPEROR since March, 2019 without recourse to Members of the State Working Committee.
“It is worthy to note that six (6) days after the Five Man Disciplinary Committee was inaugurated, activities at the State Secretariat in Asaba suddenly jacked up, though he blatantly refused to honour our invite”, the report further added.
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The report also alleged further two buses donated to the state chapter of the party in 2014 by Presidential Aspirants and were “dully handed over to Prophet Jones Ode Erue who has been the State Chairman. From that very moment, he converted them to his personal property.”
The report, however, exonerated other members of the SWC including those supporting Erue in the diversion of funds belonging to the party.
“As at the time of writing this report the Committee could not ascertain any collusion by any party official with Prophet Jones Ode Erue in the running of the party’s account due to non-availability of some sensitive documents which the committee could not lay hands on”, he added.
When contacted on the report of the committee, the embattled Delta APC chairman, Erue told NIGER DELTA TODAY Online that the committee is illegal and whatever reached by the panel is null and void.
He, however, also denied embezzling the party’s fund and threatening to sue members of the committee over the allegations.
“Is the chairman contesting election to receive money? Who brought the money?That’s libelous. They will go to court to prove the allegation. We are pushing them to enter the trouble. They will defend it when we meet in court. I don’t want to react to this fake report in the press because it will be giving life to those who are already lifeless.
“This is fake news. I won’t engage them with my precious time. Let me see it in any paper, and I will instruct my lawyers to take it up. Nobody dropped any money that was embezzled”, Prophet Erue stated.
