Voodoo scare at Delta State APC secretariat

•Modu-Sheriff inaugurates PDP factional exco

The crisis rocking the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a turn for the worse in Asaba yesterday, as fetish objects were found at the state secretariat.

The discovery was made as the party’s state executive (exco) committee meeting was about to begin.

It was learnt that loyalists of the exco headed by Jones Erue, who had gathered for the meeting found that the gate was locked with a red padlock.

A calabash containing eggs and white native chalk tied with red pieces of clothes were included in the objects tied to the gate.

However, some members had defied the objects and gone to the venue for the meeting which was scheduled for 10:00 a.m.

The meeting did not, however, start until at about 2:00 p.m after the fetish objects had been removed.

The party’s Acting Publicity Secretary, Michael Chinye, confirmed that the fetish items were removed before the commencement of the meeting as they were not scientific.

Chinye explained: “When we came for our meeting, we saw fetish objects tied to the gate. But because we believe in the efficacy of science, we threw them away and proceeded to hold the meeting. We are not afraid of any such distractions because our mandate is authentic.”

He said the meeting was convened to tackle some critical issues affecting the party, admitting that there was actually crisis
within the party in the state.

According to him, the Senator Spanner Okpozo-led Elders and Leaders’ Committee is unconstitutional and cannot dissolve a legally constituted state executive committee.

He stressed that the illegality of Okpozo’s committee led to the disciplinary committee earlier set up by the South-South leadership to investigate it.

Chinye also explained that a fact-finding committee from the national body had acknowledged that there was a subsisting case at the Court of Appeal on the matter.

He alleged that the Okpozo group and another one led by Martins Nwokobia had a robbery case instituted against their personal aides.

The publicity secretary said the aides allegedly committed the offence against the party officials, when valuable items were stolen at the secretariat.

He listed the items stolen to include laptops, ATM cards, phones and money.

Chinye added that investigation was on-going at the police headquarters, Asaba.

Meanwhile, the factional National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff, yesterday inaugurated ward chairmen across the state.

The latest development came on the heels of last Saturday’s installation of senatorial and council chairmen in the state by the party’s factional chairman, Austine Ogbaburhon.

The inauguration was done at Agbor under the supervision of his faction’s Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.

The dissenting council chairman, Mr. Dada Okolo, assisted by his secretary, Mr. Jude Okafor, monitored yesterday’s induction of the party’s executives in Oshimili South Local Council area in Asaba.

He urged them not to be intimidated by the “antics of our opponents but to discharge their duties without fear or favour, since what I have performed is within the ambit of our party’s constitution.”