ISOKO NATION SETS PACE FOR UNITY... ADOPTS ESIGIE AS ISOKO APC LEADERS FORUM

Oleh-  Divramredje Lawrence Efeturi

As what can be described as a milestone, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Isoko nation after much consultations, unanimously adopted Chief Lucky Jerry Esigie (JP) as the overall APC Leader to replace Late Sen. Francis Spanner Okpozo. The event took place at the Civic Centre, Oleh, Isoko South local government area of Delta State. This remarkable gathering is sequel to the resolution earlier reached on 15th October 2017, during the Isoko Nation Leaders APC meeting that was held in Warri where all the tendencies were fully represented.

Recall that Dr Goodnews  Agbi moved that there was need for the Isoko national leader to play a non-alligned role to the different APC pressure groups across the State, namely: Light of APC Delta, Consolidated Dynamic APC Delta and Mainstream APC Delta, during that meeting if peace and unity is to be achieved. Again, Chief Fred Obe, a foremost Niger Delta activist for Niger Delta struggle, who commended Dr Agbi for his forthrightness and sense of judgement, corroborated the structure in Agbi's motion. Chief Obe also pledged his unalloyed support that all factional tendencies who believed that Chief Esigie's emergence did not followed due process, be united under his leadership. This culminated to the constitution of a Seven-man Committee headed by Dr Ogaga Ifowodo, the Honourable Commissioner representing Delta State at the Management Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as the chairman.

In spite of the Committee having read the composition and roles of the Forum, paramountly among them is to serve as as an advisory body to the Party in Isoko, still noted some dissentient opinions from some leaders registering their dissatisfaction. According to them, they are constitutionally qualified going by their intimidating credentials and having served as former honourable members in the National Assembly. The Committee however explicated, it is not constitutional and, so, adopted "Isoko APC Leaders Forum", instead of 'Isoko Nation APC', a name it has borne over the time. Dr Agbi thereby moved for the adoption of Chief Esigie as the consensus leader to be gazetted in the light of the resolution reached, which elicited an over drowning " YEA" consent from 99% of the Party faithfuls.

The event came to a high point when the APC State Chairman, Prophet Jones Ode Erue, mandated Chief Obe to present Chief Lucky Jerry Esigie (JP) as the undisputed Leader of the Isoko APC Leaders Forum to the entire Isoko nation, who is to be flanked by two deputy leaders I & II from the two local government of Isoko south and north, respectively. The Leaders Forum also has Barr Chief Fred Obe as the Secretary.

It is worth mentioning to accord Chief Fred Obe , Engr Dr Chief Goodnews Goodman Agbi (FNSE), Hon. Ferguson Onwo and Surv. Peter Akarogbe as well as other leaders of thought for their commitments towards achieving this peace and unity in the Party in Isoko nation. This is landmark the State APC level could not achieve over the years.