The Olorogun O’tega Emerhor faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday, May 21, 2018, elected Chief Cyril Ogodo as the State Chairman of the Party in Delta State.

Recall that Ogboru/Omo-Agege faction which includes Mrs Mariam Ali, Chief Frank Kokori and A S Mene had on Saturday, May 12, 2018 conducted a parallel congress despite the postponement of the exercise by NWC owing to allegation of inducement.

Rather than hold the congress at the approved venue (College of Education), the parallel congress was held and conducted by the removed Senator Gbenga Obadara-led Delta State Congress Committee at St. Mulumba College in Okpanam near Asaba under tight security where it returned Prophet Jones Erue as State Chairman.

Ogodo, a former vice chairman under Prophet Jones Erue- led executive scored 731 votes, while Obe scored 99 votes with thirteen votes voided. Ogodo, who hails from Sapele in Delta Central Senatorial District, defeated his close rival, Fred Obe, who hails from Ozoro in Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta South.

The State congress which held at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, is the second State congress in Delta State by the APC within 48 hours, under the instruction of an earlier postponement of the Congress by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

The State congress was presided over by the Hon Eugene Odo congress committee and supervised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with an overwhelming presence of various security agencies on ground to forestall breakdown of law and order.

While declaring Ogodo as the winner of the State Congress and the new Chairman of the Party in Delta, Hon Odo declared that a total of 1439 delegates from the 25 local government areas of the State were accredited, with 13 void votes.

In his comments, the Leader of APC in the State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor described the Congress as very peaceful and a demonstration of true democracy, adding that after the congress, all aggrieved members will be reached out to in order to prepare for the 2019 political battle.

“The chairmanship position was contested and that is why we are voting Local Government by Local government, that is democracy at work… This is the ‘Unity Train’ but there are a few people who are out there who don’t want to join. Our effort is that, after this congress, we will reach out again to them and that is the role that the National is going to play. We don’t want anybody outside because we have PDP to fight and unless we are out together, it is going to more difficult for us to remove PDP.” Emerhor Stated.

Chief Cyril Ogodo in his acceptance speech, thanked the various leaders from the three senatorial districts who were present at the congress and appreciated the efforts of the congress planning committee for doing a very nice job. Saying, “let us go home and be united so that we will be able to install an APC government in Delta State come 2019. For those who are outside, we will surely bring them inside the house so that in 2019, we will be able to takeover Government House.”

Aside the chairmanship position which was contested, other positions were returned unopposed after a voice confirmation by the delegates.