Again, crisis of ‘change’ unsettles APC in Enugu

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Enugu State is enmeshed in a fresh leadership crisis over the sack of its founding leaders. The development has caused a division among members, weakening the party and hindering its ability to offer credible opposition in the state and the region, LAWRENCE NJOKU reports.

The desire of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State to have a strong All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East region is fast becoming a tall dream as the state chapter in Enugu, which he devoted much time to build, has returned to the path of perfidy.

Uzodimma was instrumental to the emergence of the current executive of APC in the state led by Chief Ugochukwu Agballah, on October 16, 2021.

As part of his quest to deepen the party, as well as control its structures, he had brought Agballah from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and sponsored his emergence from a rancorous congress that year. The manner of his emergence as the state chairman had gone to court and was there until October last year when the Federal High Court pronounced that Agballah was properly elected.

Even after the leadership contention was addressed by the court, Uzodimma who has acquired the sobriquet “Governor General of the South-East” among members of APC in the region, did not stop his support to the executive in the state, and their decision to build a “new” Enugu APC that led to the sack and suspension of members including foundation members of the party, alleged to be moles in the system.

The suspended members include: Commissioner in the Federal Character Commission, Ginika Tor; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former state chairman of the party, Ben Nwoye; former Governor Sullivan Chime; former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu; former Minister of International Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and former Speaker, Enugu House of Assembly, Eugene Odoh, among others on allegation of anti-party activities.

Despite the outcry that greeted that blanket sack of the chieftains, the South-East zonal leadership of the party upheld it. Although the action was later stopped by the national leadership of the party, none of those affected had since then identified with the leadership of Agballah in the state.

It will, however, appear that these efforts are fast heading for the rock following disarray in the executive. State Publicity Secretary of the party, Micheal Ezeanyanwu, had on July 27, led others to pronounce the suspension of Agballah, accusing him of anti-party activities, abuse of office and usurpation of his powers.

Ezeanyanwu, who read a prepared statement from the group, also announced the suspension of the state deputy chairman, Augustine Alumonah; state Treasurer, Jude Aniogbo and state Organising Secretary, Emeka Eze.

Two days later, the group appointed Alphonsus Nwafor, as its acting chairman and ratified the appointments of Sunday Onah, David Nwobodo and Callistus Ngwu as acting deputy chairman, acting deputy organising secretary and acting treasurer, respectively.

Rattled by the development, the group loyal to Agballah called what they described as “expanded state executive, local government, ward and stakeholders meeting” on Tuesday, July 30, at the party’s secretariat, in which they rose in dismissal of the purported suspension of Agballah, Alumonah, Eze and Aniogbo.

At the meeting presided by Alumonah and attended by the 2023 deputy governorship candidate of the party in the state, Tagbo Ogara, they also stated that those behind the suspension were a “collective of expelled party members, who are now working with external forces to destabilise the party in the state”.

The statement further alleged that the said suspension of the chairman and others was a “re-enactment of the playback of Peoples Democratic Party-led (PDP) administration in the state that perpetually sponsors discord in the party in order to keep it weak and divided and unable to mount serious oppression against the administration.”

He insisted that the constitution of the party “provides that only a higher level of the party (National exco/zone) can remove a member of state executive and sets conditions precedent.”

They alleged that those who announced the suspension of Agballah and three others were working for the ruling party, adding that the expanded meeting was called in consultation with party leaders and elders including, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji and National Deputy Chairman (South), Emma Eneukwu.

Insisting that the State Working Committee (SWC) and the local government chairmen of the party are intact and that no faction exists, the statement added that, Alphonsus Nwafor (factional chairman) was an ‘expelled vice chairman, Enugu West Senatorial district and was sacked last year for working for PDP during the 2023 general elections, while the publicity secretary was equally sacked for dereliction of duty and anti-party activities.”

The statement also disclosed that Peter Chime, Youth Leader of the faction that sacked Agballah and co was sacked last year for allegedly embezzling funds meant for youth rally in the state, and expressed dismay that the development had been amplified by the media.

“No organisation or party can grow or succeed in the atmosphere of indiscipline and lack of adherence to laid down rules and regulations. Hence, enforcement of discipline and sanctions as provided in the extant laws are ways of strengthening the party and enforcing law and order,” the statement added.

Apparently to underline the seriousness in their desire to occupy offices of the party, the group that suspended Agballah proceeded to the High Court sitting in Enugu State, and obtained an injunction restraining him and nine others from parading themselves as officials of the party, pending the determination of the matter.

Others affected by the order given by Justice C.V.C. Ezeugwu include Deputy Chairman, Augustine Alumonah; Jude Chinedu Aniogbo, Emeka Eze, Sunday Ugwuoke, Ugwu Christian, Eze Johnson, Queen Charles, Onyekachi Ezeagu and Idoko Chikadibia.

The court equally restrained them from holding any meeting as leadership of APC or interfering with the activities of the plaintiffs/applicants as the state executive committee of the party in the state.

It also restricted them from accessing and operating the bank account of the party at the UNEC branch in Enugu, as well as accessing the state office of the party at No. 598 Bishop Onyeabor Street in GRA, Enugu North local government.

The injunction from the court jolted the zonal leadership of the party. Its zonal chairman, Ijeomah Arodiogbu, who could not bear a further desecration in the party, criticised the Judge, insisting that his position against the party was in contravention of the decision of the Supreme Court “that a political party has exclusive jurisdiction over its internal affairs and disputes and no court has jurisdiction whatsoever to entertain party disputes.”

Arodiogbu, therefore, disclosed that the “party has petitioned the National Judicial Commission (NJC) against Justice Ezeugwu for giving an exparte order to persons and offices unknown to APC in a matter where the party is not a legal party without putting the party on notice as required by the rules of court and as directed by the NJC.”

He also observed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also not joined in the suit contrary to the Electoral Act 2022.

Arodiogbu insisted that Agballah has not only been the “voice of the voiceless and helpless masses whose businesses and economic livelihood have been completely destroyed and obliterated by the heartless ruling party” in the state but also the “voice of political prisoners and speaks truth fearlessly to power.”

On August 13, being the day the matter was adjourned, the parties returned to court. Justice Ezeugwu however, did not extend the ex-parte order he made on August 7.

The party’s faction had informed the court that they have filed notice of appeal challenging the competence and jurisdiction of the court to entertain the plaintiff’s suit, as well as motion for stay of further proceeding in the matter pending the determination of the appeal.

The Judge, however, adjourned the matter to August 27, 2024 insisting that he would not say anything on the matter until after perusing through the processes filed.

The matter is already gaining impetus with those who have issues with Agballah and his style of administration of the party aligning with the faction that announced his suspension from the party. While some of them have insisted that it is time he should be shown the way out, others stated that he had returned vibrancy and was suited to provide the necessary vibes that could challenge the ruling party in the next general elections in the state.

Agballah has been vocal since he assumed leadership of the party. Two outings he made shortly before his present ordeal, which included leading members of his party to the Holy Ghost parks, opposite the main market where the state government demolished several businesses and a solidarity visit to the imprisoned Labour Party (LP) House of Assembly candidate, Bright Ngene, has continued to attract mixed reactions.

A chieftain of the party, Chiemelie Ogbodo, told The Guardian that “those fighting him are doing so because they want to create a parallel APC that will be carried into the coming congress of the party.”

He stated that Agballah was supposed to seek re-election during the congress and in the long run lead the party to the 2027 general elections in the state. “This is what they want to stop and whittle down the progress he has achieved since the last general elections in the state. But we are behind him.”

But another chieftain of the party, Jideofor Ofoegbu, spotted in the court premises on Tuesday countered him. He insisted that APC would never win elections in the state with the way and manner Agballah was running the party, stressing that “he sees himself as above the constitution and he is doing this because he has the support of the likes of Uzodimma and Nnaji.”

He continued: “Is Enugu State not talking about council elections in October? Where is Agballah’s APC in all his bravado? He was imposed on the party even when he was never registered with the party. Whoever tells him that APC is for sale is making a huge mistake?”