Nwoye lays claim to Enugu APC chairmanship, faults Agballah’s emergence
Former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye, yesterday, insisted that he remained the party’s Caretaker Committee Chairman in the state.
He maintained that the national leadership of the party had not inaugurated, recognised nor issued anyone with certificate of return as its chairman in Enugu State.
Nwoye stated that the crisis that trailed the October 2021 congress of the party that produced factional leaderships in the state was yet to be resolved, adding that the reconciliation of factions has not been concluded.
Ugochukwu Agballah, who emerged from one of the state congresses held last year, had gone to Abuja last Thursday to receive his certificate of return, but the national leadership of the party purportedly denied him, before returning to Enugu at the weekend.
Responding to the development in a radio programme monitored by The Guardian in Enugu on Monday, Nwoye stated that it was shameful that certain persons had decided that there would not be peace in Enugu chapter of the party.
Describing the street march by Agballah’s supporters as “celebration of failure,” he explained that the APC had a procedure in appointments and inauguration of its elected officials.
“The national leadership issued certificate of return to 34 state chairmen including Abuja. When it was the turn of Enugu to receive the certificate, they asked him to go back, as nobody was recognised.
“That is because they know there is crisis, which has not been resolved. The state congress produced factions and we have been trying to reconcile them, as directed by the national leadership. In their attempts to keep us down, they started flying Agballah’s name for recognition.
“APC has rules and regulations. This is somebody who joined the party in August last year and did not even register with the party. By October, those who want to take over the party foisted him on the party as chairman. That is not proper and cannot stand. Agballah cannot be the chairman of our party,” he said
Nwoye further argued that the national leadership had not dissolved the Caretaker Committee of the party, which he heads, adding: “We will continue in that capacity until the crisis is resolved and a new leadership sworn in.”
He, however, expressed the hope that peace would soon return to the Enugu chapter and urged all supporters of the party to remain calm.
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