THE cold war among members of the State Working Committee, SWC of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Delta State, nosedived Sunday as some members of the committee insisted that the purported sacking of the chairman of the party, Jones Erue stands with a former deputy chairman of the party, Elvis Ayomanor currently acting as chairman.
Ayomanor was announced as acting chairman of the party after a section of the SWC announced the suspension of Erue for alleged financial misappropriation, failure to convene meetings of the SWC or State Executive Committee and unilaterally suspending seven members of the SWC.
Erue through the party’s publicity secretary, Sylvester Imonina, had in February announced the suspension of Ayomanor and six other members including its vice chairman, Delta South senatorial district, Tosan Awani and the state woman leader, Mrs. Janet Oyubu for alleged acts of gross misconduct.
Speaking on a meeting being convened at the Abuja residence of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Ayomanor in a statement by Felix Okpako who claimed to be publicity secretary of the party, said: “Erue, was constitutionally removed by a two-third majority of the elected SEC members, for maladministration, misappropriation of party funds and diversion of party properties. Thus, no single individual has the powers to reinstate him as the state chairman.”
Ayomanor further warned that the party is not any man’s personal property; neither does it belong to any individual, saying “If we are calling any state caucus meeting, it will be at the APC state secretariat in Asaba, or a public venue, not at the private residence of any self-acclaimed leader of the party.
“We reiterate that the party constitution is supreme and must be adhered to at all times, without fear or favour. We, therefore, call on all party leaders who are statutory members of the state caucus and the concerned SWC caucus members to disregard and ignore such meetings called by Jones Erue.”
On his part, the embattled chairman of the party, Erue through the party’s publicity secretary, Sylvester Imonina described Ayomanor and his group as attention seekers stating, “We won’t join issues with them.”