Minister: Enugu APC wants Onyeama’s re-nomination withdrawn

The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the re-nomination of Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama as a minister. Onyeama was one of the few cabinet members renominated by Buhari, a development that has now stirred fresh controversy among members of the party in his State, Enugu.

Arising from a meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party, the members said the President should withdraw the nomination in the interest of the country.

Chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who briefed reporters after the SEC meeting, said the decision was taken considering the antecedents and performance of the former minister.He alleged that “Onyeama is known for sponsoring election violence in Enugu State.”He added: “We recall what he did during the party’s congress, where he went ahead to conduct parallel congresses from the ward to the state level in contravention of extant laws of the party.

“Recall also that in the course of the governorship primary election, the Enugu APC chose indirect or delegate primary election, but while the election was on, the former minister stormed the place and disorganised the entire exercise. Many were injured, tear-gassed and violently beaten.

“These are reasons SEC looked at and we are also calling on the U.S. to consider him as one of those to be banned, because he had several times involved himself in sponsorship of electoral violence. These things are on tape.”

Nwoye equally said the SEC x-rayed the performance of the former minister and came to a conclusion that he fared below average.

“The committee looked at his general performance and found it to be woeful. As Foreign Affairs Minister, at least 118 Nigerians were killed in South Africa, and 13 of those were extra-judicially killed by the police.  In all of these, Onyeama has been unable to formulate policies that will address these issues,” Nwoye alleged.