The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has accused former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, of being the behind suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele’s participation in the APC presidential primary to scuttle Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s ambition.
The claim was disclosed in a letter written to the President on Monday titled, “Attempts by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to scuttle presidential ambition of President Bola Tinubu through recruitment of Mr Godwin Emefiele, anti-Tinubu campaign stance and anti-party activities.”
The letter, which was made available to The PUNCH, was signed by state APC Secretary, Inana Michael; Delta North Chairman, Tom Onah; South Chairman, Nelson Ogharama, and Central Chairman, Michael Orunefe.
The statement partly read: “Your Excellency, you will recall that at a point ahead of the party’s National Convention in June 2022, members, especially those of us from Ika South Local Government Area, got information Omo-Agege had plans to issue party membership card to the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and we objected to his plans. We told him it was not morally right for Emefiele to contest and that it will affect your chances to secure the Presidential ticket.
“All efforts to make Omo-Agege see reasons fell on deaf ears but he convinced Emefiele and assured him that he would get the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, whom he planted as a spy, to help get Emefiele the ticket.”
The party referenced a story in the May 9, 2022 of The PUNCH, “which confirmed the story that the APC Ward chairman eventually gave Emefiele the membership card in February, 2021.”
“The name of the ward chairman is Mr Nduka Erikpume and the Ika South APC Local Government Chairman is Hilary FadaIbude.
“These two were the ones who also signed our state leaders’ expulsion letters on the instructions of Omo-Agege. Their offence was that they opposed Omo-Agege’s position to recruit Emefiele to contest the presidential election against you.”
The Delta APC leaders alleged that on the night of the APC convention, Omo-Agege instructed Delta delegates to vote against Tinubu who he alleged stood no chance against their ‘anointed’ candidate.
According to them, virtually every delegate was aware of Omo-Agege’s stance, “but as God would have it, the former Lagos governor won the primary convincingly.”
Furthermore, the Delta APC leaders alleged that ahead of the general elections, Omo-Agege supported the opposition Labour Party rather than the APC.
“Mr President, we enclose herewith posters and videos of Omo-Agege and Labour Party candidate, Mr Peter Obi, posing ahead of the election to the fact that he and his group never worked for you. We cannot continue this way in Delta. We, therefore, call on you to ask Omo-Agege to free the state APC of his stranglehold so it can breathe freely.”
But when contacted, Communications and Media Strategist for Omo-Agege Campaign Organisation, Ima Niboro, told our correspondent to reach the politician’s Chief Press Secretary, Sunny Areh.
But on contacting Areh, he also declined comment, saying the Chairman of Delta APC, Omeni Sobotie, would be in a better position to discuss the issue.
As of the time of filing this story, Sobotie could not be reached as his line was unreachable.
However, APC National Publicity Secretary, Morka, described the allegations against Omo-Agege as spurious.
“I am sure you that’s not the real Delta APC. Those guys are Cairo Ojougboh-sponsored organisation,” he said.
