By Onome Oghenetega
The Olorogun O’tega Emerhor-led faction of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State has withdrawn the case filed against the Prophet Jones Erue-led faction of the party which produced the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and others.
Delta APC has been embroiled in crisis after the national chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole replaced the Chief Cyril Ogodo-led State Executive Committee (SEC) which was inaugurated by the former national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on assumption of office.
The crisis which has lingered for months had the APC having factional candidates for the 2019 general elections.
Emerhor, the 2015 governorship candidate of the party in the state, noted that he had to withdrawn the case after appeals from critical stakeholders of the party including the presidency.
In a statement issued on Monday titled “Even A Good Fight Must Come To An End”, the APC leader posited that the decision was based on the need for peace and reconciliation after the 2019 general elections in the state.
The statement maintained,
Dear Mainstream members of Delta State APC Chapter, “I write to update you on where we are in our ongoing struggle to properly position Delta APC in the power equation of Delta State. As you are aware, we have sustained this struggle through thick and thin from the congresses of April /May/June 2018 to Primaries in September/October 2018 and general elections in February/March 2019.
“Through all of these, we have won and lost battles. It’s been somewhat of a political roller coaster of sometimes joy and sometimes sadness. We have since September 2018 resorted to the law courts to reclaim and assert our rights: as Executives and elective candidates of the party at various levels. We won our main suit at the Asaba FHC trial court, lost the appeal to a Special Panel at the Court of Appeal, Benin and currently, we are on appeal at the Supreme Court.
“During the pendency of our Supreme Court appeal, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the main impacted person, should our appeal succeed at the Supreme Court, was sponsored by our National APC and Federal government and was elected the Deputy Senate President (DSP) of the Nigerian Senate. Since this event a lot has happened.”
“Your leadership has come under intense pressure to terminate the appeal at the Supreme Court in order not to jeopardize the standing of the DSP at the Nigerian senate. This pressure has come from elders, leaders and Clergymen of Urhobo nation, from well wishers and family members of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, from APC party leaders of the South South, and indeed, from the Presidency. Recently, on Tuesday, July 11th 2019, myself and Chief Cyril Ogodo had audience with the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osibanjo on the matter to chart a way forward.
“Upon the election of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as the DSP, and with the reach out from the various interested persons mentioned above, your leadership has indeed agreed, in its usual reconciliatory manner, to seize the opportunity to again push for a party reconciliation and unification deal that can produce a win win situation for Delta APC and properly position it.
“Our earlier terms for Party Exco harmonization and sharing of Federal appointments to all groups in Delta APC were once again put on the table as the panacea for bringing lasting peace to APC Delta State. Unfortunately, even with the best efforts of those who intervened to seize this moment as a last minute effort to bring peace to reign, again no traction was achieved.
“At the same time, our case in the Supreme Court suffered a set back. As against securing an accelerate hearing consequent on it being a pre-election matter, the suit is currently adjourned to October 14, 2019. It has been in our contemplation for the case to come to a closure in July 2019 and allow peace and unification come to Delta APC at last.
“Under the above circumstances and in full recognition of the pressures that have been brought to bear and also in appreciation of the legal arguments as to whether we could still achieve the objectives of the suit when it comes up in October or not, your leadership has decided and indeed unconditionally agreed to withdraw our appeal from the Supreme Court by filing a notice of discontinuance today Monday July 15th, 2019. Your leadership believes this is for the best. We have fought a good fight and even good fights must come to an end! We don’t need to fight on till October and beyond! We don’t need to force others to the table anymore and or forever.
“I, therefore, on behalf of the Mainstream of APC in Delta proclaim an end on our part in the factional fight for the control of APC in Delta State. We also seize the opportunity to recognize Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as our Senator and congratulate him for his election as DSP of the Nigerian senate. We in the same breath, recognize and congratulate other elected legislators of APC in Delta State.
“We do this with zero expectations from those who are now the ‘victors’. We will, however, be wildly surprised if they seize the moment and strive for the unification of the party in the interest of a stronger Delta APC.
“I also wish to seize the opportunity to thank all members of the Mainstream of Delta APC, and the Ogodo led Exco in Delta State for your unalloyed loyalty, support and resilience in the face of daunting challenges throughout the period of our contending for a winning APC in Delta State. As I said earlier, even a good fight must end one way or the other. I thank you all.”
