Get Guardian on GoogleThe All Progressives Congress (APC), Italy has disowned a purported party event scheduled to hold in Torino, Italy, on November 28, describing it as a scam intended to mislead party members and cause confusion within its ranks.
The Chairman of APC Italy and member of the APC Diaspora Directorate of the Presidential Campaign Council, Ambassador Prince Chima Ibezim, said the party’s leadership in Italy and Nigeria neither approved nor had knowledge of the purported event.
In a statement, Ibezim said the event, advertised through a promotional jingle as scheduled to hold at Hotel Royal Torino, was unauthorised and should be disregarded by party members.
He said the individuals featured in the promotional material were unknown to the recognised party leadership and described them as impostors allegedly seeking to create confusion within the chapter.
The statement listed the individuals as Okpioba Iredia Osakwe, Patience Ehiabi (Lami Lami) , George Omo Iduhun, Benedict Obafueko, Mike Ifeoluwa Oputeh and Olakayode Garba.
Ibezim said the management of Hotel Royal Torino, when contacted, confirmed that no booking had been made for the purported event on November 28.
He said the development further raised concerns about the authenticity of the event and warned party members against attending gatherings not authorised by the recognised APC leadership in Italy.
According to him, the party’s leadership has also been alerted to the development, while appropriate security measures are being put in place to address the alleged fraudulent activities.
The APC Italy chairman further alleged that the individuals behind the purported event were being sponsored by opposition forces to undermine the party and its ongoing campaign for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
He recalled that some of the individuals had previously been disclaimed in communications attributed to the APC-CDC and the office of the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
Ibezim urged APC members and supporters of the Renewed Hope agenda in Italy, the diaspora and Nigeria to avoid the gathering, warning that participation could expose them to fraudulent activities and bring the party into disrepute.
He stressed that all official APC Italy programmes, activities and announcements would be communicated only through the recognised leadership structure of the party in Italy.
