‘Going into congresses in strife will produce bad result’

Sir Amorighoye Mene is the Organising Secretary of the Delta All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee. In this interview with OKUNGBOWA AIWERIE, he speaks on the reconciliatory efforts to bring back aggrieved members to the fold, as the chapter prepares for the next governorship election

What is responsible for the delay with regards to congresses in Delta State?

There hasn’t been no significant delay yet. Dates for ward, local government and state congresses have been set. Ward congresses will hold on July 24, while for local government it will be August and that of the state will be in September. It is only the date for the national convention that hasn’t been announced. The forms should have been out for sale, but I believe there will be some adjustments because the sale of forms is taking off late. It ought to be out now, but it is not.

What do you think would be the implication of the hiccups we have noticed so far on the chances of your party at the next general elections?

In Delta State, at the end of the various congresses, there’s going to be a new executive council in place that would run the affairs of the party. Our hope is that a more focused and dedicated executive council will come on board, having learnt from past mistakes. It is our hope that the product of these congresses will give birth to a more focused, determined, cohesive party structure. This will go a long way in delivering the various candidates to run for various positions in the next general elections.

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Do you have confidence that the congresses will produce the right calibre of leaders without interference from powerful interests within the party?

For me personally, as state organising secretary, we have been advocating for consensus because we are mindful of the fact that internal conflicts have been the greatest challenge facing the party. That is the reason we lost 2015 and 2019 elections in the state. The Delta APC has been fractious, ignoring the bigger adversary which is the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). So, this time around, we are working towards having a consensus during the congress at the various levels. My wish is to have all parties sit down and agree. But, if we are unable to reach a consensus, then the contestants will have primaries in this way the issue of conflict will be reduced. If that is done, as we are advocating, the party will be better positioned to win elections in Delta State.

Where exactly is reconciliation taking place across the state?

Yes, in Delta North a recent reconciliation meeting involving party bigwigs, including ex-Delta Speaker Victor Ochei, Dr Cairo Ojuogboh, Maryam Alli, among other leaders was held recently in Asaba. This was very successful. Also, in Delta Central, efforts are ongoing to forge unity amongst stakeholders.

In other words, you are working towards consensus on positions for the various interests groups to work together?

Yes, if all the stakeholders sit down and agree and populate the party structure from ward up to the state level by consensus that will remove internal strife, conflict and disagreement that has been the bane of the party. I believe it is achievable and I believe that we, the various leaders, have learnt from our past mistakes. If we go into the congresses in strife, we will produce the same result we have been producing over the years, which is an electoral failure.

What concrete steps have been taken to reconcile aggrieved members in Delta APC?

This is one of the mandates of the interim caretaker committee which was set up at the national level headed by former Governor John Odigie-Oyegun to reconcile the chapters in the Southsouth region. The committee has set up a collegiate of leaders where the minister representing us at the federal level, Festus Keyamo is chairman and Dr Alex Ideh is co-chairman. Dr Cairo Ojuogboh is the secretary. All other leaders are working round the clock to reconcile aggrieved members. If the committee’s report is implemented, it will bring peace to the party. On the other hand, we stakeholders are working hard, for example, on June 29, we the Itsekiris held a meeting where we resolved that it is only through unity and reconciliation that we can win elections. Also on July 2, the eight local governments in Delta South held a meeting called APC Delta South Senatorial District Unity meeting. It was held in Koko and hosted by Dr Alex Ideh. That meeting further resolved the imperatives of building on unity and reconciliation as a way forward to reposition our party on the path of electoral victory. At our local level, we are working round the clock to ensure that there is unity and reconciliation. At the end of the day, our party will be better for it.