The All Progressives Congress in Delta State has expelled the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, from being a member of the APC for alleged anti-party activities and other unnamed offences.
The Delta APC announced Omo-Agege’s expulsion in a letter dated March 31, 2023, obtained by The PUNCH on Monday.
Recall The PUNCH reported how Omo-Agege, the governorship candidate of the APC in the Delta State lost to the Governor-elect a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sheriff Oborevwori.
Omo-Agege who scored 240,229 votes was 120,005 votes behind his contender and the returned Governor-elect of the PDP, Oborevwori who scored 360,234 votes.
In the expulsion letter signed by the Chairman, Ulebor Isaac, on behalf of the State Executive Committee of the Delta APC and Secretary, Inana Michael, and 23 others, unanimously resolved and adopted the expulsion of Omo-Agege as a member of the party by the executive committee of the Orogun ward and Ughelli North Local Government chapter.
The letter reads, “The State Executive Committee of All Progressives Congress Delta State in a meeting held on the 31st March, 2023 at the State Secretariat, Asaba, after due deliberation of the Notice of Resolution of Expulsion of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as a member of the party by the executive committee of the Orogun ward and Ughelli North local government chapter dated 20th March, 2023.
“And in accordance to the provision of Article 21.2 (1)(II)(VII) 21.3 and 21.5(g) of the constitution 2022 (as amended) we unanimously resolved and adopted the expulsion of Senator Ovie Omo Agege as a member of the party.
The letter further reads, “Consequently Senator Ovie Omo-Agege hereby stands expelled as a member of the party with immediate effect for various offences committed and acts of anti-party activities and gross misconduct that has brought shame and ridicule to the image of the party in the state which affected the party in the just concluded elections.”
The embattled Deputy Senate president had also been accused by a chieftain of the party for not working hard in the state to garner votes for the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, rather for himself.
However, in a swift reaction, the Delta State APC Publicity Secretary, Imma Niboro, while speaking to our correspondent, described the expulsion as fake, adding that there is no faction in the state’s APC.
“Fake. But you know this is not the executive committee of the State Chapter. No one knows who these people are. There are no factions in Delta APC.”
Meanwhile recall also that in the aftermath of the March 18, governoship and state assembly elections, an indefinite suspension was slammed on the current Chairman of the NDDC board, Lauretta Onochei, by her ward 04 executive committee in Aniocha North local government area of the State.
Also speaking the State Chairman of the APC, Omeni Sobotie and Peter Akarogbe, State Secretary while dismissing the purported expulsion of the party’s governorship candidate, in a statement on Monday evening, signed by the duo, stated “We, the legitimate and only recognised State Executive Committee of the party, at the National Headquarters, in consultations with all other levels in the chain, hereby disclaim the publication as fraudulent, a ruse and of no consequence. Therefore it should be disregarded and ignored as the handiwork of mischief makers by all party faithful and the general public.
“The Executive Committee members of the APC at the wards, local governments, senatorial districts and state levels, were duly elected at the different congresses organised by the party. They remain legitimate and still hold their offices and positions in accordance with the APC Constitution.”
The statement further added that considering the development the names of the executive committee members of the APC at the wards, local governments, senatorial districts and the state, were in the national secretariat of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, which duly monitored the congresses as required by law.
The statement maintained that “the signatories to the said publication are not only dubious impostors, but very reckless in with their publication. In this regard, their claims could cause a breach of public peace and must not be permitted.
“The Nigerian Police Force, DSS and other security agencies are enjoined to take note of the wanton rascality and the unscrupulous intent to cause disharmony and a breach of public peace.”
It advised the general public, party faithful and stakeholders to disregard the said publication, and view it as the “worthless undertaking of men with crooked intentions.”
