By Our Correspondent, Warri
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Olorogun Josiah Ntekume, has dismissed allegations made by Mr. Aruviere Martin Egharhevwa concerning the history and leadership of the party in the state, insisting that Olorogun Otega Emerhor remains the founding leader of the APC in Delta State.
In a statement titled “Rejoinder to Aruviere Martin Egharhevwa’s Distortion of APC History in Delta State,” Ntekume accused Egharhevwa of attempting to rewrite the party’s history through what he described as inaccuracies, half-truths, and baseless allegations.
He refuted claims that the late Senator Pius Ewherido was the founding leader of the APC in Delta State, explaining that although Ewherido played a notable role in the progressive political movement before his death in June 2013, the APC formally commenced membership registration and political activities in Delta State in February 2014.
According to Ntekume, Emerhor provided the vision, leadership, resources, and organisational framework that established the APC in Delta State, noting that thousands of party members could attest to his contributions during the party’s formative years.
He also described as false allegations that Emerhor was absent during the party’s formation, maintaining that the former governorship candidate played a central role in mobilising stakeholders, building party structures, and financing party activities across the state.
Ntekume further dismissed claims that Emerhor used the APC platform to negotiate political deals with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the 2015 general elections, stressing that no evidence had been presented to support such assertions.
The APC stalwart also rejected accusations that Emerhor influenced federal appointments for personal associates or benefitted from alleged phantom projects linked to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), describing the allegations as reckless and unsubstantiated.
“If there is evidence of wrongdoing, such evidence should be presented before the appropriate anti-corruption agencies rather than propagated through social media campaigns,” he said.
Addressing allegations that Emerhor was responsible for the non-appointment of the late labour leader, Chief Frank Kokori, to a federal position, Ntekume argued that federal appointments involve multiple layers of approval and cannot be attributed to a single individual.
He further defended Emerhor’s professional and business credentials, noting that the businessman and financial expert had built a successful career long before the formation of the APC.
On reports of political disagreements between Emerhor and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Ntekume said it was misleading to portray such differences as personal rivalry, emphasizing that divergent opinions among political leaders are common in democratic environments.
While acknowledging the contributions of several individuals to the growth of the APC in Delta State, he maintained that Emerhor’s position as the party’s founding leader in the state remains a matter of historical record.
Ntekume urged political actors to refrain from divisive rhetoric and instead support the administration of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, whom he commended for driving development through the MORE Agenda.
He called on Deltans to place unity, peace, and development above political disagreements, stressing that collective support for good governance would contribute to a stronger and more prosperous Delta State.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Olorogun Josiah Ntekume, has dismissed allegations made by Mr. Aruviere Martin Egharhevwa concerning the history and leadership of the party in the state, insisting that Olorogun Otega Emerhor remains the founding leader of the APC in Delta State.
In a statement titled “Rejoinder to Aruviere Martin Egharhevwa’s Distortion of APC History in Delta State,” Ntekume accused Egharhevwa of attempting to rewrite the party’s history through what he described as inaccuracies, half-truths, and baseless allegations.
He refuted claims that the late Senator Pius Ewherido was the founding leader of the APC in Delta State, explaining that although Ewherido played a notable role in the progressive political movement before his death in June 2013, the APC formally commenced membership registration and political activities in Delta State in February 2014.
According to Ntekume, Emerhor provided the vision, leadership, resources, and organisational framework that established the APC in Delta State, noting that thousands of party members could attest to his contributions during the party’s formative years.
He also described as false allegations that Emerhor was absent during the party’s formation, maintaining that the former governorship candidate played a central role in mobilising stakeholders, building party structures, and financing party activities across the state.
Ntekume further dismissed claims that Emerhor used the APC platform to negotiate political deals with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the 2015 general elections, stressing that no evidence had been presented to support such assertions.
The APC stalwart also rejected accusations that Emerhor influenced federal appointments for personal associates or benefitted from alleged phantom projects linked to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), describing the allegations as reckless and unsubstantiated.
“If there is evidence of wrongdoing, such evidence should be presented before the appropriate anti-corruption agencies rather than propagated through social media campaigns,” he said.
Addressing allegations that Emerhor was responsible for the non-appointment of the late labour leader, Chief Frank Kokori, to a federal position, Ntekume argued that federal appointments involve multiple layers of approval and cannot be attributed to a single individual.
He further defended Emerhor’s professional and business credentials, noting that the businessman and financial expert had built a successful career long before the formation of the APC.
On reports of political disagreements between Emerhor and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Ntekume said it was misleading to portray such differences as personal rivalry, emphasizing that divergent opinions among political leaders are common in democratic environments.
While acknowledging the contributions of several individuals to the growth of the APC in Delta State, he maintained that Emerhor’s position as the party’s founding leader in the state remains a matter of historical record.
Ntekume urged political actors to refrain from divisive rhetoric and instead support the administration of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, whom he commended for driving development through the MORE Agenda.
He called on Deltans to place unity, peace, and development above political disagreements, stressing that collective support for good governance would contribute to a stronger and more prosperous Delta State.
