Certain ward chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Delta state allegedly paid N2 million each to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ifeanyi Okowa, the PDP vice presidential candidate and governor of the state, allegedly bribed the APC ward chairmen in each of the 25 local government councils N2 million apiece to persuade them to join the PDP.
However, it was learned that Ovie Omo-Agege, the state’s APC governorship candidate and deputy senate president, was unable to look after the welfare of his party members, who have been complaining about alleged neglect ever since taking office, and that this is why the resignations, which are being done in secret.
An APC ward chairperson who spoke to SaharaReporters on the condition of anonymity stated that they were each given N2 million and that their resignation papers were ready to be submitted in the days leading up to the general elections.
“Please don’t reveal my name, but the reality is that over 250 APC ward chairmen in the state’s 25 local government councils have already written their letters of resignation promising to leave the APC and join the PDP.
Our meeting with the state government resulted in the completion of all preparations for joining the PDP, but we agreed not to publicize it. The state government is paying us each N2 million as well.
“This contract has already been delivered and sealed. We have not seen or received any financial benefits from the APC governorship candidate and deputy senate president, Ovie Omo-Agege, since we were personally chosen for the post.
“Since news of our covert meeting with the state administration broke, Omo-Agege and the state leadership of our party have been frantically trying to figure out how to halt our transition to the PDP.
We were taken advantage of by the Delta state PDP. Since he was chosen to hold the office, none of the APC ward chairmen can claim to have earned N2 million. We’re sick of the one-man administration Omo-Agege is using to rule the state APC. Ask Nicholas Ovuakporie, the state’s APC secretary, why he defected to the PDP last month. You’ll see that he left the celebration for the same reasons that we are. Omo-Agege, a despot, has stolen the party. With our N2 million, we’re switching to PDP; be on the lookout.
Under the condition of anonymity, a state APC official verified the report but claimed that the party’s leadership, including governor candidate and deputy senate president Ovie Omo-Agege, had already taken all necessary steps to prevent the ward chairmen from defecting to the PDP.
I wasn’t told to speak on behalf of the party, so please understand that this is not an official response. Even though the story is true, more than 200 of our ward chairmen met with the Delta state government and came to a compromise whereby each ward chairmen would receive N2 million in exchange for tendering their resignation and joining the PDP. We heard the deal was sealed, but it would be carried out in secret. But I give God the glory because our party learned about the situation and we pleaded with them not to defect to the PDP. However, their reasons for leaving are quite pertinent.
“If you would want to speak about the matter, kindly contact Mr. Valentine, the state party’s media secretary. But, I would prefer not to be quoted in any form, please. Recently, we lost Nick Ovuakporie, our secretary, to the PDP. Over the weekend, he received his PDP membership card from the party chairman, Joel Orute, in the state’s Oyede Ward 12 of the Isoko North Local Government Area. Nick served as the co-secretary of the APC campaign council, according to the source.
An APC House of Assembly candidate in Delta North also responded to the allegation by saying, “The story is real. However, the party has already stepped in, and I’m worried about whether the ward chairmen can be prevented, especially because they each stand to lose N2 million. Let’s see how it goes, though. Ovie Omo-Agege, the vice president of the senate and a contender for governor, is not even trying. The period of autocracy is over; let him behave in the best interests of everyone rather than operating as the only administrator.
When reached, Valentine Onojeghuo, the APC’s state publicity secretary, refuted the news, stating, “It was just a simple allegation that has no basis. The APC is unified and working toward a single goal: to elect Ovie Omo-Agege, the party’s deputy senate president and candidate for governor, as well as all other party candidates, in the general elections.
“None of our ward chairmen have left the APC to join the PDP; rather, PDP supporters have been defecting to the APC. Take note that the narrative is untrue.
