From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami, has urged President Bola Tinubu to protect loyal party members who stood with the APC before it became attractive to defectors, warning that those who built the party must not be sidelined.
“I won’t be pushed out of a party I almost died for. If I ever step aside, it’ll be my decision. But those who just joined must acknowledge those who carried the burden when it was dangerous to do so,” Emami said in an interview with Daily Sun.
He also reminded Tinubu of his campaign promises to the Itsekiri people, including completion of the Omadina-Escravos road and revival of the Ogidigben EPZ project.
“Asiwaju gave us his word. The EPZ project was abandoned after Buhari came in. Now that he’s President, he must ensure it is revived. We’ve waited long enough.”
On the controversy surrounding INEC’s ward delineation in Delta State, Emami accused the commission of bias, describing the exercise as skewed and unjust.
“You can’t take a community with two wards and give them ten, while reducing others. That’s not delineation — that’s suppression. INEC must follow the law, or reverse this injustice,” he said.
He warned that the Itsekiri people who are confined to Warri Federal Constituency, were being systematically edged out of representation. “This is not about sentiment. It’s about survival. The Constitution protects minorities, and we are invoking that right.”
On 2027 politics, Emami dismissed the growing coalition of opposition parties as inconsequential. “Let them form their coalition. It’s dead on arrival. Tinubu will win again.
We’re not afraid of competition, but they can’t defeat us.”
He welcomed defections to the APC but cautioned against internal suppression. “You can’t erase those who built the party just because a governor has joined. Reconciliation must happen, but everyone must be respected.”
Emami also criticised some APC ministers and South-South governors, accusing them of underperformance and indifference to public hardship despite increased revenue from subsidy removal.
“Only a few ministers are working. Tinubu needs to reshuffle the cabinet. And governors, especially from the South-South, must be held accountable. People are hungry, and it’s not all on the President.”
The post Defections: Prioritise loyal members, fulfil campaign promises, APC chieftain tells Tinubu appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
