The Delta State Transition Leadership Team of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has clarified that there is no division in the party as erroneously being portrayed by the State Chairman of the party, Mr. Austine Okolie
The Transition Leadership Team, in a statement signed by one of its members, Elder Fred Akpewe; said the fact that Delta ADC was in a Coalition, with an office separate from the State Secretariat of the party, did not amount to a division
It noted that since the inauguration of the Senator David Mark led ADC Coalition, leading to the swearing-in of the Delta State ADC statutory leadership team, of which Austine Okolie is a member, he had constituted himself as a clog in the wheel of progress of the party.
The Team added that though Austine Okolie belonged to the 10-man Delta State Membership Revalidation, Mobilisation and Registration Committee (MRMRC) he had continued to work independently of the Committee.
The George Timinimi-led Transition Leadership Team stated that the National Chairman of the party, Senator David Mark; had insisted that all the tendencies in Delta State must unite as one body before Congress, but that while its members showed exemplary maturity by recently attending a unification meeting in the State ADC secretariat situated at Midwifery Road Asaba, Austine Okolie refused to attend.
It further stated that within the last three days, Austine Okolie had made a one-page Vanguard advertorial claiming that Professor Pat Utomi and not Chief Great Ogboru is the State Leader of the ADC in the State, expressing concern how such a divisive advertorial will help the unification process of ADC in the State.
The Transition Leadership Team said Austine Okolie had also made a provocative statement online instructing Delta State ADC members to collect Congress Expression of Interest forms from the Midwifery Road state secretariat, warning that any form collected from outside the secretariat would be declared invalid.
“It is necessary to inform the state ADC members that apart from the State ADC secretariat, there exists an ADC leadership team secretariat along DLA Road Asaba. This is not a strange concept in a COALITION because even in Abuja, the National ADC Secretariat exists side by side with the COALITION Secretariat from which Senator David Mark and his NWC Committee members operate.
“This brand new ADC National Headquarters is at 121, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2. The old ADC Secretariat is located at 4, Oyo Street, Area 2 , Garki , Abuja. There is no friction between the two offices because the pioneer ADC Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu; had handed over the reins of the party to Senator David Mark at an impressive ceremony in 2025.
“It is the refusal of Austine Okolie to toe the line of his former ADC National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu; that has led to the seeming current leadership tussle in Delta ADC”, the Transition Leadership Team stated.
It explained that it was empowered by a Resolution of the ADC National Working Committee and mandated to steer the affairs of the party at the state level pending the conduct of the impending Ward, LGA and State Congresses.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Austine Okolie is a member of the State Leadership Team. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to him, he has refused to participate in any meeting called in the State Leadership Secretariat along DLA Road, despite repeated invitation”, the statement said.
The Team revealed that it was currently winding down the highly successful activities of the State MRMR Committee led by its Chairman, Leo Ebinim, PhD, and ably supervised by the National MRMRC representative in Delta State, Professor Festus Arunaye, pointing out that the National Organizing Secretary of ADC had approved the distribution of Expression of Interest forms by the Delta State Chairman of the Transitional Leadership team, Barr George Timinimi.
It disclosed that the Expression of Interest forms had been paid for in Abuja by the Leader of the State ADC Leadership Team and could be collected free of charge at the State Leadership Secretariat along DLA Road, Asaba, upon meeting some simple conditions
“These explanations have become necessary because Austine Okolie has been creating the erroneous impression that there is division in Delta ADC, when in the real sense of it there is none. Austine Okolie has shown that he does not understand the politics of Coalition.
“Whilst no one is contesting the fact that he is the State Chairman of ADC, he should also realize that the pre – Coalition ADC is just one of the parties that have opted to form a Coalition. Other parties like the PDC, APC, Labour Party, amongst others, are also in the COALITION”, the statement clarified.
The Transition Leadership Team called on all committed ADC members in Delta State to remain united and carefully follow the directives of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Senator David Mark, ahead of the party Congresses and the National Convention.
It urged Austine Okolie to realise that he belonged to State Statutory Leadership Team and the State MRMR Committee, making it imperative that he should join hands with the Leadership Team to move the party forward, reminding him that his belligerent approach to party matters was counter-productive and might potentially mislead some members.
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