Correspondent, MAURICE OKAFOR, examines the threatening feud between Comrade AC Ude and Bar. Ugo Ugballa, over the chairmanship seat of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu state, and reports that the party could be poised for a repeat of the 2019 mistake that caused it a total loss in the state, even as the Appeal Committee has commenced sitting to treat the over 13 petitions before it
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Enugu state chapter, may have once more returned to a threatening battle as its September 16, State primary has produced two factional chairmen in between Barr Ugo Agballah and Comrade A .C Ude
This no doubt is a matter that can only be handled by the National caretaker committee of the party, as way of resolving the perennial crises that have rocked the leadership of the party in the state, and also repositioning the party to live up to expectations as the major opposition party in Enugu state.
The duo of Barr Ugo Agballah and Comrade A .C. UDE emerged as winners of the parallel state congress of the party held on Saturday,October 16. While Ugo Agballah emerged as the winner of the state chairmanship contest from the Congress conducted by a faction of the party in the state loyal to the National Committee Deputy chairman, Ken Nnamani and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Comrade A.C.Ude emerged from the state Congress, conducted by a faction of APC in Enugu state, loyal to Ben Nwoye, the former chairman of the party.
It would be recalled that Dr Ben Nwoye led state executive of the party has at daggers drawn with some stakeholders of the party, most of whom are holding vintage appointment’s in Abuja over his style of administration of the party in the state, with obvious poor results. Attempts to resolve the lingering crises prior to the ward congress of the party failed woefully, Consequently the two warring factions produced their own faction’s leadership.
The hopes of resolving the perennial crises which have bedevilled the party in Enugu state is on the rise once again, as a five man panel constituted by the national secretariat of the party has commenced sitting in Enugu.
The five man panel have Chief Bemard Mikko as it’s chairman and Ambassador Babagana Ajim as Secretary. Others are Rt. Hon. Barr Emmanuel Nwobo, Elder Friday Michael Udo and Barr (Mrs) Mariam Kolo.
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Addressing APC stakeholders and members during the committee’s inaugural sitting in Enugu on Thursday,September 28, the chairman of the committee, Chief Mikko assured that his committee would ensure justice for all.
He said that the recommendation his committee would give, will ensure that nobody would be left behind, as everybody would be carried along in the interest of the party.
He stated. “So I can assure you I didn’t come here representing anybody… I do what is right, I have been a victim of injustice but sometimes when you are excluded you think the world is over, the world is not over. God works in a very mysterious way”
He disclosed that his committee has received thirteen petitions varying on several issues and assured they will give due attention. to every petition so as to achieve the much desired peace and unity in Enugu state chapter of the party.
Continuing, he said, “We have received some petitions of exclusion. Some talked about factional congress being held elsewhere. But my own opinion with the permission of my members is that whether you contested for party office or not, this party in Enugu state must carry everybody along; whether you have money or not,”.
Mikko said the appeal panel was ready to listen to every aggrieved person, noting however that in human nature nobody is perfect, but appealed to members to be ready to work together to achieve the main objective of winning the governorship of the state in 2023, beyond the struggle for the control of the party structure which means nothing without winning elections.
“So let us now come together. If there is any particular thing you people want the committee to do I will be pleased to listen to you beyond those who wrote petitions.
Checks revealed that both Barr Ugo Agballah and Comrade A.C.Ude hails from same Enugu West senatorial district where the position of the party was zoned to, as Enugu East senatorial zone will produce the 2023 governorship candidate of the party in the state. Both Barr Ugo Agballah and Comrade A.C.Ude are proven grass root mobilizers in Enugu state. Comrade A.C.Ude has held positions as pioneer deputy state chairman of Enugu APC, Enugu Youth Coordinator, PMB 2019 Solidarity Movement and Chairman, Contact and Mobilization committee of Enugu APC, under Dr Nwoye’s leadership of the party. It was however gathered that ,Barr Ugo Agballah was lobbied by stakeholders to join the APC in Enugu state, for the purpose of achieving drastic results, by winning elections and a coordinated grass root followership.
