By Daniel Okunarigho
SAPELE/Nigeria: Chief Ede Dafinone, a chartered accountant, and a onetime Senatorial candidate in Delta state, has called on members of the All Progress Congress (APC) in Sapele local government area of Delta State to jettison the pull him down syndrome against Senator Ovie Omo-Agege by supporting him to get more results for his people and Nigeria in particular.
Chief Dafinone, a leader of APC in Delta state, who hosted Executive officers of one of the party’s factions recognised by the party’s hierarchy at Abuja in his country home in Sapele, said “for many years, the Urhobos never had it so good by producing a leader at the top. Now that God has made it possible for us as the 5th ethnic nationality in Nigeria to get one, in the person of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, we should support him to succeed by bringing the dividends of democracy to his people ”
“There is no agencies nor government parastatal he will call to give jobs to his people and he would be turned down if there are vacancies. Think about the several persons that have benefitted from him through empowerment and job placements. Who else can do this now in Urhobo land. It behoves on us to take Urhobo man seriously. We should leave our brother alone to do his job. We should pray for him to bring dividends of democracy to his people “He stated.
The political stalwart in Delta state while lamenting factionalisation of the party in Sapele, appealed to the members to allow the people to register and vote for any candidates of their choice instead of imposition of leaders on the people. “This will enable our people to win elections easily”, he stated.
Chief Dafinone told journalists during interview session that the essence of the meeting at his instance was a party building mission which was aimed at bringing the party together in a stronger way since registration process is likely coming up in no distant time.
He stressed that “For all aspirants, in APC in the upcoming elections, they need to recognise that for them to win, the party must be a strong party. A strong party requires the registration of all APC members in the state and a congress that allows the people to select those that will lead them and not have a selection process imposed by leaders”
He noted further “if we make mistake again of selecting the executives as opposed to allowing them to be elected, then we may arrive at a position when those selected executives are not able to deliver the votes required for us in winning an election. There must be free registration, and there must be fair congress to enable us position ourselves for victory”
Chief Dafinone who is also the Chairman of Sapele / Okpe land Trust, revealed that the meeting is the first in the series, since he has concluded arrangements to invite other factions of the party for the same purpose of bringing them together as one strong family in no distant time, claiming that all of them are one body whose genuine intentions is to win in all the elections in the state and at the National level.
He told journalists that as for the moment, he has no intentions to contest any position in the 2023 general elections but poised at ensuring that the party do not make any further mistakes in subsequent elections, positing that “if however my people prevailed on me to contest, it must be backed up with strong conviction.”
Chief Bojor Adelabu the Delta Central Chairman of the Party said, ” As a leader of the party in Delta Central, I have always looked at a stronger party that will win elections, as at this hour, Chief Ede Dafinone calling this meeting to sensitize the people of Sapele local government area, hammering on the issue of unity and ownership of the party by the people of the party, for me, it is a very wonderful day. I am glad, I am happy that he has come out to vent his anger on the issue of disunity that has set back this party over the years.”
He added that the meeting called by Chief Dafinone is an indication that the party and its leaders are ready to go ahead making sure that the party is United and stronger
Chief Adelabu added, “Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the preaching has started, there is no more stopping the tide from flowing. In Unity we stand. We will continue to preach, because there is already self realisation amongst the leaders of the party, amongst the members of the party that we can’t keep doing one thing same way using same formula and we will get different results. The key word here is unity. And we are getting it right this time around. And once we get it right, the sky is the limit and we will take over Delta State. That is the position” He added.
Other chieftains of the party in Sapele local government area chief Esije, Mr Lucky Ohwojerho, Hon Moses Ogodo, Mr Mabiaku Tuoyor and Barr Akpevwe Utuedor commended Chief Ede Dafinone for his bold initiatives in bringing them together for unification purpose of becoming one stronger party in the state .
They maintained that since Ede joined the party, he has never ceased in carrying them along, assuring that they will always toe his lines and ensure that they become one stronger party that would win elections any time any day, while appealing to members and other factions to forget their differences and come together as one formidable party in the country.
