A fresh political crisis is brewing within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State following growing disagreements between the council chairman, Olorogun Jaro Movudu Egbo, and some party leaders, including the local government party chairman, Olorogun Lucky Ofomukoro, and his immediate predecessor, Chief Godwin Adode.
The latest development followed the reported removal of the Supervisory Councillor for Health, Hon. Eyamu Akpotu, by Egbo, a decision that has triggered criticism from an APC chieftain and renewed concerns over alleged divisions within the party’s leadership structure in the local government.
Key Highlights
- Ughelli North council chairman Jaro Egbo reportedly removes Supervisory Councillor for Health, Eyamu Akpotu.
- Party sources link the removal to Akpotu’s closeness to former chairman Godwin Adode and party chairman Lucky Ofomukoro.
- Ward chairmen were reportedly denied entry to Senator Ede Dafinone’s consultation meeting until Ofomukoro intervened.
- A party source accuses Egbo of extending his influence into party affairs.
- The council has yet to issue an official statement on Akpotu’s status.
Akpotu was reportedly replaced during the council’s executive meeting on Tuesday, although the council leadership has yet to issue an official statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the development.
Sources disclosed that the health supervisory councillor was present at the meeting and participated in the opening proceedings, including the devotion and the chairman’s introductory remarks.
However, Egbo was said to have excused Akpotu from the meeting shortly after the opening proceedings, before subsequently effecting his replacement.
Although the reasons for the reported removal remain unclear, party sources alleged that Akpotu’s closeness to Adode and his relationship with Ofomukoro might have contributed to the decision.
The allegations have further fuelled concerns about the growing influence of political alignments on administrative decisions within the local government.
An APC chieftain, who condemned the reported removal, questioned the circumstances surrounding the decision, particularly against the backdrop of the alleged strained relationship between Egbo and some party stakeholders.
Controversy Over Party Leadership
The reported removal has brought renewed attention to an earlier incident involving the council chairman and party leaders during a consultation visit by the APC senator representing Delta Central, Senator Ede Dafinone, to party stakeholders in Ughelli North.
According to sources, ward chairmen were initially denied entry when Dafinone’s consultation meeting was held at the council chairman’s conference room rather than at the party secretariat.
The situation reportedly generated tension until Ofomukoro threatened to leave the meeting with the ward chairmen if they were not allowed to participate. The ward chairmen were subsequently admitted, the sources said.
The incident was cited by party insiders as an indication of the alleged growing friction between the council chairman and the party’s local leadership.
A party source accused Egbo of running the council without adequate regard for party leaders and alleged that he had extended his influence into the party’s affairs.
According to the source, Egbo’s position is that, just as the governor is the leader of the APC in Delta State by virtue of his position as the state’s number one citizen, the council chairman should similarly lead the party at the local government level.
The source further alleged that Egbo’s office had increasingly become a centre for both council administration and party activities, raising questions about the relationship between the local government’s administrative leadership and the party’s established structure.
However, the extent of the disagreement between Egbo and the party leadership, as well as the precise circumstances surrounding the reported removal of Akpotu, could not be independently established.
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Adode-Egbo Relationship Under Scrutiny
The reported crisis has also drawn attention to the relationship between Egbo and his predecessor, Adode, amid claims of competing political interests within the local government.
Although the specific cause of any disagreement between the two men remains unclear, party sources suggested that Adode’s standing among some stakeholders could be a factor in the emerging political divisions.
One source claimed that Adode had received favourable assessments from some quarters over his performance as council chairman, allegedly compared with the current administration under Egbo.
The claim could not be independently verified, and no comparative performance assessment was available to substantiate it.
The reported developments have raised questions about whether the disagreements are limited to administrative decisions or reflect a broader struggle for political influence within the Ughelli North APC.
Efforts to obtain Egbo’s reaction through his media aide, Mr Efe Ekete, were unsuccessful, as he could not be reached for comments.
As of the time of filing this report, the council had not issued an official statement clarifying Akpotu’s status or explaining the reasons for his reported replacement.
The positions of Ofomukoro and Adode on the allegations surrounding the reported removal and the wider party dispute were also not available.
The situation is likely to attract further attention as party stakeholders await clarification from the council leadership amid concerns over unity and internal cohesion within the APC in Ughelli North.
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