Dembofa Oweikpodor Fires: APC funded the opposition in the last general elections

The Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Hon. Denbo Dembofa Oweikpodor, says the party funded persons presumed to be members of APC in 2015 and 2023 general elections.

Hon. Oweikpodor, made the declaration Sunday March 2, during a thank you gathering of party supporters, held at the instance of Delta State APC governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections, Obasiri Ovie Omo-Agege.

He noted: “We had a great opportunity for ensuring that we had victory in the Presidential Election, Governorship, National Assembly as well as the State House of Assembly. Some primary factors made us not to achieve that goal.

“APC funded the opposition, persons presumed to be members of APC that came at the last minute, were the persons recognized by the party echelon, the funds that was suppose to use to run the party, was handed over to such persons and the original members of the party as per the APC, and other parties coming to together, were kept aside.

“Those that were funded, who are not party members, collected the money and went to their bedroom. Functioning party members had no money to run the race, whereas the state ruling party (PDP) had enough money to run the race. Hiring boat became a problem. This was paramount during the governorship and house of assembly elections.

“The Presidential and National Assembly elections was a little bit different, but the Governorship and House of Assembly elections, was a total failure, not because of the party members, but the body that governs the party in the state and those who were ruling the party. The leadership of the party made us have that problem in Warri South-West.

“From 2015 to 2023 till date, same thing is happening, party members are not being taken seriously. There is nobody from the Ijaw ethnic nationality, who are called party members, from the Warri South West, has been given appointment at the National level because we don’t have any seat in the state.

“From our brother ethnic nationality, one, two, three persons have gotten appointment. Amnesty for those of us in Warri South-West, the Presidential Adviser of the Amnesty, has not told us that he is a member of APC. They gave us the impression that they bought the position. They are not party members, this thing happened in 2015, 2019, 2023 and if we are not careful, it will happen in 2027.

“If we want to build this party, we must use the Japanese government approach. It must be from the bottom to the top, not from the top to the bottom. We know our leaders by birth, we know those that can stand for us. Most of the persons that presumed to be leaders are known from the top, not the people pointing that these are their leaders.

“A list was published and I saw Chief Ayirimi Emami there, I cannot question it, because he is a grassroots leader, Pius Eyengho’s name was there, even Tuoyo, I won’t contest it, because these persons were on ground during the elections in Warri South-West.

“The responsibility falls on the leaders at the top. You owe us, if you people fail us, we will fail.

“We will appeal to all the leaders at the top to unite themselves. It is disunity that has brought us to wherever we are today.

“If funds are meant for the party, there is an organogram of the party, we should follow that suit. If it's 10 Naira, let it go to the ward. If it's 20 Naira, let it go to the local government. If it's 15 million for the state, the state should manage it properly.

“But funds are given to people because they have name and money and they presume to be leaders. I can tell you without mincing words that Warri politics is not played like that. The Warri politics from the time of the UPN till today, know their leaders from grassroots, when funds are given to them, they know their followership. The leader at the top should please come and ask the followership, who is their leader and they will tell you.

“I sincerely believe we will come together and will surely deliver.”

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