A fresh crisis has erupted within the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress following internal disagreements over a proposed solidarity walk in support of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
The planned rally, which was initiated by grassroots loyalists led by Chief Emmanuel Adigwe, was intended to serve as a show of unity and strength within the party.
However, the state party leadership, under Chairman Elder Omeni Sobotie, has publicly distanced itself from the event, triggering sharp internal dissent.
In a statement signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, and dated August 4, 2025, the rally was described as “unauthorized and unsanctioned.”
The statement warned that further actions by the organizers would attract disciplinary measures.
“No individual or group has the right to organize or brand any activity as an official APC event without express approval from the party leadership. Any deviation will be interpreted as defiance and met with swift consequences,” the statement read.
The move by the party leadership to halt the rally has drawn criticism from some party stakeholders, who accuse Sobotie of acting against the interest of the President and the APC at large.
Chuks Erhire, one of the rally’s organizers, described the chairman’s actions as “a calculated attempt to undermine Tinubu’s growing popularity.”
He further alleged that Sobotie was covertly aligned with the opposition, specifically the Atiku Abubakar-led African Democratic Congress.
“Sobotie is a mole. He has done nothing to build the APC in Delta state, yet he wants to stop genuine supporters from showing solidarity with our President. We see through his schemes, and we will not be intimidated,” Erhire said.
He called on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to launch an immediate investigation into Sobotie’s alleged actions, which he claimed were weakening the party’s structure and undermining Tinubu’s support base in the state.
Despite the warnings issued by the state leadership, Erhire insisted that the solidarity walk would proceed as scheduled. He vowed that APC loyalists would not be deterred by what he described as “anti-Tinubu elements hiding in the party.”
“The walk will hold, whether the devil likes it or not. We cannot allow ADC-style sabotage to cripple our efforts to reposition APC in Delta,” he declared.
