…Party heading for total collapse in Niger, factional chair warns
From Maurice Okafor (Enugu), Blessing Ibunge (Port Harcourt) and Suleiman Issah (Minna)
The decision of the Governor Buni led APC National Caretaker Committee to convert the party’s State Execuive Committee to a caretaker committee has widened ther crisis roclking the party in so many states
The APC National Executive Committee (NEC) which met last week in Abuja, dissolved all the state, Local Government and Ward structures of the party, reducing them to caretaker committees
The National Caretaker committee followed the directives of NEC, when it inaugurated the former state chairmen of the party as chairmen of the new caretaker committees last Friday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja
The paerty’s position has however opened more wounds are several factions have continued to claim authenticity of the APC leadership in the various states, following the dissolution
This has in no small way, deepened the party’s crisis in Enugu, Imo and Rivers states
In Enugu, the Ben Nwoye led faction of APC, which is reported to have been given the mandate by the APC National caretaker committee to transform into the state care caretaker committee, is facing stiff opposition from the Deacon Okey Ogbodo led faction, who said his own faction are waiting on the Buni led caretaker committee to inaugurate them.
In a Press statement issued Sunday in Enugu, the Deacon Ogbodo led faction, which enjoys the support of Foreign ASffairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, claimed to be the legitimate executive of the APC in Enugu state
“My team and I, in Enugu State, which hitherto were the lawful, legitimate executive of APC in the state, eagerly awaits, and are ready for inauguration as caretaker committee, as the APC NEC may direct. It is important, indeed auspicious, to caution here that any decision to the contrary would spell doom for the APC in Enugu State”.
“Our merited inauguration as caretaker committee would have righted a prolonged injustice and re-directing the APC in the state on a new, progressive path, for electoral profitability,”he argued.
But Nwoye in his response to the recognition of his executive as the caretaker committee of the party in Enugu state, extended olive branch to aggrieved members of the party in Enugu state, stating it is high time they close ranks and collectively work for the progress of the party altogether.
Meanwhile, former Deputy chairman of Enugu APC, Comrade A.C.Ude, the pioneer state woman leader, Lolo Mrs Queen Nwankwo, the pioneer state Youth leader, Prince Ikechukwu Oloto, Hong Tony Ibekwe among others who once severed political relationship with Chief Nwoye over allegations of high handedness have rejoined forces with Nwoye in the task of rebuilding the party in the state.
Also in Rivers state trhe Chibuike Amaechi led faction of the party has inaugurated its state, local government and ward executives amidst protest from the Senator magnus Abe led faction
The newly inaugurated State Executive Council, vowed that it would clear all elections it would take part in 2023. The development was following the decision of the National Executive Council, NEC.
The APC Caretaker Committee had inaugurated Mr Isaac Abbot-Ogbobula, to head the leadership of the party in Rivers State on a caretaker basis, with a charge to inaugurate new leaders at the state level, LGAs and wards.
Speaking in Port Harcourt yesterday after the inauguration of other state party executives and the local government chairmen for the 23 LGAs in the state, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Party, Isaac Abbot-Ogbobula, said that the decision of the party has brought to end all legal issues against the leadership of the party in the state.
Abbot-Ogbobula, who described the factional state chairman of APC, Hon. Igo Aguma, as inconsequential to the party in the state, tasked the newly inaugurated Local government chairmen of the party to ensure that APC wins all 21 LGAs, 239 wards in 2023
“Ensure you are firm and do not carry out your duties with favour or prejudice on any member of the party. You are required, directed and mandated to go back today to go back to you LGAs and swear in caretakers Committees of the LGAs.” Abbot-Ogbobula charges the newly inaugurated Local government executives of the party
In the same vein, Niger state chairman of All Progressive Congress APC, Engr Mohammad Jibrin Imam has urged the National Caretaker Committee NCC to reversed the illegal inauguration of Aliyu Saidu Galkogo as caretaker chairman or faced loosing the party structure ìn the state .
He stated this during a press briefing yesterday in Minna, advising the Governor Buni led Committee to comply with the 8th December, 2020 NEC by swearing in congress elected officials as the Caretaker Committee of the party in the state.
According to him all channels of communication with the National Headquarters of the APC to invoke certain provisions of the party constitution is being sort and urged the federal government to question some of the unconstitutional breaches and actions by party enemies.
He however advised the state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello to desist from fuelling the crisis rocking the party describing his actions as a move that could destabilize the party.
The chairman warned that the APC is heading to a total collapse and warned that should the APC collapse in Niger state, the Governor should be held responsible for killing it.
He stated that instead of resolving the crisis engulfing the party, Bello has refused to do so,
He said all efforts fails to seek redress fails, saying all efforts made to ensure peace reigned failed.
Engr Imam explained that the problem confronting the party in Niger state is the unconstitutional bridge of APCs’ Constitution that should be resisted in all ramifications.
“We urge the National Caretaker Committee to comply with 8th December, 2020 NEC resolution to swearin-in me, Engr. Mohammed Jibrin Imam and other Congress elected officials of our party to chair the Caretaker Committee of the party in the state.”
