By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA – National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has met with the warring members of the party in Delta State stressing the need for total reconciliation ahead of the 2019 general elections.

At the meeting which held Tuesday night in Abuja, Oshiomhole said in order to ensure lasting peace and reconciliation in the party in Delta State, Prophet Jones Ode Erue remains the state chairman, while other positions in the state executive would be harmonized to accommodate the interests of all parties.

In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Simon Ebegbulem, the party chairman further urged the party leaders to embrace the Prophet Erue led leadership in moving the party forward.

He however condemned what he described as unwarranted media attacks on his person and the National Working Committee of the party by some party members in Delta state, admonishing that they should rather make comments that could reconcile the party and not one that will further inflame the crisis.

The meeting which commenced at about 8pm lasted till 11:30 Tuesday night.

Addressing the leaders, Oshiomhole expressed resolve to ensure that the party wins Delta State, and charged the leaders to not allow the ambitions over-ride the general interest of the party stressing that the issue of the governorship candidate of the party must not be allowed to destroy the party in the state.

According to him, “I have said it before that I have interest in Delta state because Edo and Delta is one. And we must ensure that Delta joins Edo state in APC through democratic means. And I know that we all can do it if we can reconcile our differences and confront the real enemy, which is the PDP. And whatever we are doing, I believe we should think about the interest of Delta people who have been denied of good governance by the PDP administration over the years.

“Only one person can be governor at a time and before you knew it, eight years is over and another person takes over. So, we must not see it as a do or die affair. We must all work together make concessions and go back to work immediately because we have no time. We are going to confront an incumbent who is desperate to return but we will mobilize Delta people to stop Dr Ifeanyi Okowa”, he stated.

Most of the leaders who expressed their views commended Comrade Oshiomhole for finding solution to the protracted crisis rocking the party in the state and expressed their willingness to work with the national leadership of the party to ensure victory for the party.

Prophet Erue who appealed for calm, promised to work with all the stakeholders and appealed for cooperation to enable him succeed.

The Minister of State Petroleum, Dr Kachukwu, in his vote of thanks, urged the party leaders to abide by the decision of the national leadership of the party and ensure that peace returns to Delta State. “I commend you Mr Chairman for this effort and other efforts you have been making to ensure unity in our party in states where we have crisis.

“I want to urge our party leaders to embrace peace so we can achieve victory for the party come 2019”.

Among those who attended the meeting were the Minister of State Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachukwu, Chief Great Ogboru, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, Cairo Ojuogbo, Victor Ochei, Olorogun Cyril Abeye Ogodo, Dr Miriam Nneamaka Ogoh Ali, Comrade Frank Kokori and many others.