By Paul Olayemi

The State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress APC, Friday received the report of the Delta APC Reconciliation Committee headed by the founding leader of the Party, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor OON, at the party’s state secretariat at Asaba, promising to implement the recommendations of the Committee to reposition the party ahead of 2027 elections.

Presenting the report Elder Godsday Orubebe, a former minister for Niger Delta Affairs who represented the chairman of the committee, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, told the SWC that the report contains strategies and actionable modalities which, if implemented, will ensure that the Party solidifies itself ahead of 2027 general elections.

Elder Orubebe, while presenting the reconciliation committee report Delta APC State Working Committee (SWC), highlighted some major recommendations, which, according to the Committee, would reposition Delta APC to take over the governance of the state come 2027, stressing that Deltans are tired of PDP’s poor governance of the state since 1999.

The report recommended “The setting up of a State Leadership Council that will consist of about 40 leaders across all 25 LGAs and shall have the immediate Past Governorship Candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and the Current Honourable Minister, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, as Co-Chairmen of the Council. The Council is designed to bring all Leaders of all factions and tendencies together thereby effectively uniting the party. The COUNCIL will work hand in hand with the SWC in order to strengthen and move the party forward.

It also recommended “The setting up of similar Leadership Councils at the Senatorial, LGA and WARD levels aimed at uniting all tendencies at those levels, thereby effectively uniting the APC at the GRASSROOT levels.

“The decentralisation of authority that will allow leaders at Senatorial, Local Government Area and Ward levels to be the ones to manage the process of nominating candidates for Party Congresses thereby eliminating the Hijack of Congresses by one leader or individual or group of individuals and thereafter, foisting such structures on the Party.

“The implementation of a robust funds raising process that will ensure all leaders are involved in funding the Party such that the Party can function effectively and not depend on one leader or Individual to be able to achieve its mission.”

The Committee, which was set up in September, was made up of 21 members, out of which 3 members didn’t participate. Out of the 18 members that participated, a majority of 13 signed the report, 1 member was absent at the final meeting and 4 members abstained from signing.

The report, after its adoption by the SWC, is expected to be endorsed by other Key leaders of the party in the State, after which it will then be submitted to the APC NWC and also to the APC National Leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as a working document for Delta state APC.

Orubebe added, “It is the strong belief of the Committee that the report effectively addresses the issues that have created a crisis in the Party for a long time and that if these recommendations are faithfully implemented, APC will be back united and strong in Delta State.”

Earlier in a significant development the State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta State, has confirmed the appointment of Chief Paulinus Akpeki as Acting State Chairman of the Party in lieu of Elder Omeni Sobotie who is on medical vacation. This appointment aligns with Article 14 2 (iii) provisions of the APC constitution and marks a strategic step in the party’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its leadership structure and political influence within the state.

The confirmation of the appointment of Chief Paulinus Akpeki was officially announced by the Delta APC State Working Committee after its meeting held on the 29th of November, 2024, at the State Secretariat, Asaba.

In line with these provisions, Chief Paulinus Akpeki’s appointment is considered to be in the best interest of the party, reinforcing its structure and helping to guide its direction in the build-up to upcoming political events.

In his response, the Ag State Chairman Chief Paulinus Akpeki, while assuring members of the Reconciliation Committee that the SWC will take steps concerning the implementation of the recommendations of the report, expressed profound gratitude and appreciation to the Reconciliation Committee for their commitment and industry in finding solutions towards achieving lasting peace in the Party.