Enugu LG Polls: Crisis Hits APC Faction

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Ahead of the February 29 Local Government Election in Enugu State, a major crisis has hit a faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State.

DAILY POST reports that members of the faction loyal to the foreign affairs minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama are now singing discordant tunes.

Only a few days ago, a key figure in the group, Comrade Adolphus Ude addressed journalists where he unveiled a list of their candidates for the local government election.

However, the chairman of the faction, Deacon Okey Ogbodo has now come out to disown Ude, claiming that he was unknown to his group. Before now, Ude has been the key voice of the faction.

But Ogbodo, in a statement he personally signed, made available to DAILY POST, urged the public to ignore any media statement from Ude. He declared that his group would not take part in the election.

He said his attention was drawn “to reports of certain questionable characters parading as former and or present officers” of the party in Enugu State “and fraudulently seeking to give credibility to the current seemingly flawed process of emergence of candidates for the February 29, 2020 local government elections.

“Public utterances by a certain A.C. Udeh, who had arrogated untenable party positions to himself should be disregarded by the public.

“Therefore, the so-called reports of APC Enugu State fielding candidates should be discountenanced as they are coming from characters that are, at best, mercenaries, that have no authority or mandate to speak for the APC.”

Reacting, Ude said he stood by his position as Ogbodo had no right to claim the chairmanship position of the party, considering that the matter was before the Court of Appeal.

“I did not speak as the Chairman of the Party; I spoke as the pioneer Deputy Chairman and member of the State Caucus. I was also the interim organizing secretary that registered APC members in Enugu. The only person I can concur to on this matter is Ben Nwoye if he submits a list as the pioneer State Chairman, not Okey Ogbodo,” he said.

While accusing Ogbodo of acting out of ignorance, he said “Okey Ogbodo was not properly briefed. Nobody will drag us to a court matter that arose during Sullivan Chime’s time as governor of Enugu State.

“Myself and other leaders of the party agreed that APC will take part in the election; it is only a coward that will run away from a fight. People should watch their utterances.”