By: CHARLES EMENI
With less than two years to the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, no serious political party can afford to be ill- prepared, and also making sure that it has began to put it’s house in order, dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s if it must must emerge victorious in the end.
It is for this reason that I find the reported leadership factions and divisions in the Delta State All Progressives Party, APC a disturbing and unfortunate one.
This factions and divisions in the party played up a couple of weeks age, when two different delegations, under the party paid a courtesy visit to the President and Commander-In-Chief, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu; one of the groups lead by former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Rt. Hon Ovie Omo-agege, and the other, by the Minister for Aerospace and Aviation, Hon Festus Keyamo, SAN.
Yes, the President welcomed the two delegations from the same party, but since then, I’m yet to come to terms with how Mr President felt about the two delegations.
What was evident about the visit of the two delegations was the fact that, though they belong to the same political party, the APC, unity and cohesion was glaringly missing. Otherwise, how could supposed leaders of a major opposition party in a State visit the nations President, who is the number one card carrying member of the party in factions, with 2027 elections around the corner?
Beyond the courtesy visit, what next; how prepared is the APC to plant it’s presence in Delta State, and possibly convince Deltans that it is a serious enough party that is ready to win the governorship and other elections in the State in 2027? With the perceived division and lack of unity among it’s leaders, how can the party put it’s house in order for victory at the 2027 elections? The answer to these questions goes beyond two groups from the same party with separate “leaders,” merely going to pay courtesy visit to Mr. President at this critical moment.
It is on the basis of the perceived division and lack of unity among the “leaders of the party-APC in Delta State and the likely negative consequences it may have on the party in the 2027 elections, particularly the governorship that I find the proposal of the member representing the Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. (Rev) Francis Ejiroghene Waive not only a welcomed but a bold idea. As a God-fearing man, he has never failed to tell the truth when the need arises.
The APC in Delta State, he said, has been embroiled in a crisis of leadership in recent months, therefore, he called for unity and support for Gov Oborevwori that would pave the way for a more cohesive party as the 2027 elections approach. “I want victory for the APC and President Bola Tinubu, and this in the way to go.
“Morever, the rotation of the Governorship between the three Senatorial Districts favours Gov Sheriff Oborevwori, who has only one term left. I call on Deltans to support this move as it will further unite us as a people,” he added.
The major lessons from Rt. Hon Francis Waive’s proposal for the adoption of Gov Oborevwori as APC sole candidate for the 2027 elections is UNITY FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF VICTORY. Why? A house devided against itself cannot stand; and this seems to be the bane of the APC in Delta State, that seems to have failed to produce a clear and acceptable leadership in the State. That visit to Mr. President by the two groups from the same party is a clear indication of disunity among it’s leaders. And the party needs unity if it must clinch the governorship seat of Delta State in 2027.
The PDP and APC working together in unity to produce a consensus governorship candidate can achieve more for the State than we could alone, and create a more harmonious, productive and prosperous Delta State.
It would help to create the much needed political, economic and social cohesion, cross-pollination of ideas, improved decision making, strength and resilience. Unity in a political party is essential for effective governance. This is what Rt. Hon Francie’s Waive is preaching and advocating.
He is advocating that, ahead of 2027, the APC and the PDP should reason together as one, to have faith in their abilities and decision to produce and stand by a consensus candidate for governor- His Excellency Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, a man he described as a good political leader, who, by his numerous people- oriented projects has proven to be working towards the betterment of Deltans rather than personal gains or self-interest.
