By Jonathan Okpanachi
The national hierarchy of the All Progressives Congress has reaffirmed Barr Ugochukwu Agballa as the Chairman of the party in Enugu.
The declaration has therefore put to rest the leadership crisis rocking the state wing of the party. Agballa alongside his executive was recently suspended by some faction of the party in the state.
The decision was a part of the resolutions of the party during a meeting held weekend in Enugu. During the meeting, the leaders and stakeholders of the party “frowned at the recent display of gross indiscipline and total disregard to the APC Constitution by some misguided party members who met in a hotel and purportedly announced the suspension of Agballa.”
Other members purportedly suspended alongside Agballa were the state Deputy Chairman, Chief Augustine Alumonah; the state Treasurer, Hon Jude Aniogbo, and the state Organising Secretary, Hon Emeka Eze.
The meeting acknowledged that, “The actors are only 14 in number but they went ahead to forge people’s signatures and append their names as if they were part of the illegality, without their consent.
“That these people who have long been working with the opposition party are on a mission to destabilize APC and keep it in perpetual crisis.
“That more than 35 persons whose signatures were forged and names appended in the purported suspension document without their consent have issued a disclaimer distancing themselves from the illegality.”
According to the communique which was read by Sen Chuka Utazi, the stakeholders said, “The purported suspension did not follow due process as no meeting was held; no petition was written and it was never discussed at SEC and the national levels were never notified; no fact finding was made in accordance with the party’s constitution before the purported announcement of illegal suspension.”
The communique also said that 20 leaders of the party had been suspended from office for gross misconduct following their failure to appear before the Disciplinary Committee to state their position.
The party also congratulated Gov Hope Uzodinma of Imo State on his victory at the Supreme Court.
Utazi said, “The stakeholders sent hearty congratulations to the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, over his resounding victory at the Supreme Court and his outstanding leadership of the party in the South East zone.
“The Enugu APC stakeholders thanked Ndigbo for not participating in the recent protest against the government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. We have absolute confidence in the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.”
The party also declared its readiness to participate in the forthcoming local government election in the state.
According to the communique, “The APC Enugu State is ready and will fully participate in the forthcoming Enugu State local government council elections.
“The stakeholders encouraged the teeming party faithful in the state to keep faith with the party and not relent in holding their regular meetings at the wards and local government areas. The party and the federal government will not disappoint them.”
The communique was signed by Chief Emma Eneukwu, Deputy National Chairman South (Rep. APC National Chairman); Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology; among others.
