By Festus Ahon, ASABA

FOUNDING leader and 2015 Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has said a good opportunity was awaiting the party in 2023 to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state.

Emerhor, who spoke at his Evwreni country home in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state when the chairman and members of the reconstituted Delta APC Registration and Revalidation Committee visited him, however, said the APC would only achieve such feat if the leaders of the party in the state are united and work for the interest of the party ahead of 2023 governorship election in the state.

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He blamed the inability of the APC to defeat the PDP in the state on internal bickering and infighting within the opposition, saying that he was working with other leaders of the party to ensure that the party remains a formidable force in a future election.

He named other leaders critical to the task of uniting the party to include; the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Chief Festus Keyamo, Chief Great Ogboru and a few others, who together control the APC followership in the state.

Emerhor said: “There are key things that have come up from what the Committee Chairman has said in his short address. Delta State is winnable for APC, and the opportunity to win Delta State is very bright in 2023 as there would not be a sitting governor to contend with.

“Unfortunately, PDP has been running this state for over 20 years and we have made several attempts as opposition trying to unseat them (PDP). But the reason we have failed so far is that we have not really come together as one. We have always fought against ourselves. Each time we fight against ourselves, we play into the hands of the PDP.

“As the founding leader of the party, I have seen and experience this first hand. I also believe that the other leaders of the party are aware that only unity and when we all as leaders work together that we will be in a position to win and liberate Delta State. We must have one united party, it is the only winning formula.

“I am hopeful that every one of us has realized that unless we all come together and work together as one, that prize we seek, would continue to elude us. I came to that realisation because in 2019 when the party was split into two, the PDP were the happiest for it.

“The party registration of members that we are currently engaged in is the first step in this direction. We must aim to register a minimum of 400,000 to 500,000. With such membership, we are already on our way to winning. Our emphasis, therefore, is to open up the registration, bring more people in and expand the party.

“The meeting of leaders we held in Abuja and the process we agreed to has brought some sanity to the exercise. The various tendencies in the party are currently seizing the opportunity to work together to drive the process.

“I, therefore, request the Committee to stay in close touch with all the leaders to guarantee the success of the exercise. I also encourage the Committee to preach and emphasize unity in their final report to the party at the National level and request for a further intervention of the national leadership to cement the unity of the party in Delta State”.

In his remark, the chairman of the Delta APC Registration and Revalidation Committee,  Abiodun Aluko said members of the committee were at the home of Olorogun Emerhor to seek his support for the ongoing exercise and to thank him for his support for the growth of the party in Nigeria.

Aluko, a former deputy governor of Ekiti State, commended Emerhor for his stance on the unity of the party and enjoined leaders of the party to imbibe the message of unity.

He held that he was in touch with the other leaders and would continue to consult all the leaders to secure the success of the exercise, expressing confidence that the party would win the state in 2023.

The committee chairman who was accompanied by other members of the committee who accompanied Aluko include; Moses Kyari, Ahmed Attah, Emenike Uzor, Musa Shaibu and Nwoba Onyekachi, told Emerhor and other leaders of the party to stay united so as “to celebrate an APC win in the 2023 governorship election in the state”.

On the ground with Emerhor to receive the committee were; Chief Fred Olokor, Mr John Onojeharho, Chief Cyril Ogodo, Chief Malachi Orode and a host of others.

Vanguard News Nigeria