Politics
Delta APC SEC calls for suspension of chairman Omeni Sobotie
The State Executive Committee (SEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta State Chapter has called for the suspension of the party chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie.
This was contained in a letter signed by 81 members of the Delta State SEC and addressed to the National Chairman of the ruling party, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. The letter was also copied to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
The SEC accused Sobotie of gross abuse of office and disregard for the party’s constitution, stating that they have lost confidence in his leadership.
“We have completely lost confidence in Sobotie’s leadership as state chairman, as he continues to act with impunity in blatant disregard of the party’s constitution. We strongly urge the National Working Committee (NWC) to take immediate disciplinary action by suspending Sobotie from his position as state chairman. This decisive measure is crucial to prevent further damage to the party’s reputation and integrity.
“By suspending Sobotie, the NWC can help mitigate the harm caused, restore the party’s vitality, integrity, and direction in the state, and ensure the APC Delta State chapter remains united and focused on its objectives. We respectfully request the NWC to exercise its authority and take prompt action to address this situation,” they said.
The SEC further criticized Sobotie’s leadership, calling it an “unmitigated disaster,” and accused him of failing to discharge his responsibilities.
“He has consistently proved incapable of discharging the functions of his office. He has been absent without explanation for prolonged periods, foisting a vacuum of leadership that has enabled impostors and unauthorized elements to undermine the party’s institutional integrity and effective functioning.”
Since assuming office, Sobotie has allegedly failed to convene SEC meetings and neglected regular meetings of the State Working Committee (SWC). The SEC accused him of operating in a dictatorial manner, usurping the authority of both the SEC and SWC while relying on proxies to execute party affairs.
The SEC also condemned Sobotie for calling for the removal of APC National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Felix Morka, stating that the petition dated March 17, 2025, was a unilateral decision made by Sobotie without the SEC’s approval.
The SEC described the petition as, “Grossly misconceived, petty, reckless, and without reasonable or justifiable basis.”
They further stated, “The petition shows that Sobotie lacks understanding of the limits of his authority as state chairman and the requisite constitutional process for the discipline of officers of the respective organs of the party, particularly the National Working Committee (NWC).”
“We categorically condemn and dissociate ourselves from the petition. The allegations are baseless and constitute a blatant attempt to silence a courageous voice in defense of the party and President Bola Tinubu’s administration. We fear that Sobotie has been commissioned by external political interests to undermine the effectiveness of the office of the NPS.
“We wish to express full faith and confidence in Barr. Morka’s leadership, service, and impeccable commitment to our party’s ideals. Morka has acted and continues to act with extreme decorum and professionalism in the discharge of the functions of his office.
“We urge the NWC to discountenance the petition as frivolous and reckless and dismiss it in its entirety. Sobotie’s actions are a clear violation of Section 21.2(v) of the party’s constitution, which explicitly prohibits members from providing false information to any party organ and engaging in unauthorized publicity of party disputes without exhausting all internal avenues for settlement or redress. This blatant disregard for party procedures and protocols is unacceptable and warrants immediate suspension.
“By releasing the petition to the public, Sobotie has not only violated the constitution but also undermined the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms. This behavior is unbecoming of a party leader and demonstrates a lack of commitment to upholding the party’s principles and procedures. We urge the party leadership to take immediate action to address this violation and ensure that Sobotie is held accountable for his actions.”
Also, the SEC accused Sobotie of fostering a close relationship with the Delta State government, controlled by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“This illicit association has severely undermined our party’s integrity, exposing us to political manipulation and sabotage. Furthermore, we have strong reason to believe that Sobotie has been commissioned and is subsequently compromised by his financial ties to the Delta State government, a glaring conflict of interest that erodes trust in his leadership and loyalty to our party.”
The SEC emphasized that while they had initially hoped to wait until the next party congress to address the issue, Sobotie’s continued leadership posed an imminent threat to the party’s stability.
“We had thought it best to wait until the next congress to address the threat that Sobotie represents. However, the damage that his continued stay in office is inflicting on the party is incalculable and may become irremediable if nothing is done to constrain Sobotie’s nefarious activities and damaging inactions,” they added.
