2023: RMFAC chairman, Ebonyi APC stakeholders call on NWC to save party from collapse 

The chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC), Chief Elias Mbam and stakeholders of All Progressives Congress (APC) from Izzi clan, Ebonyi State, have called on the APC national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu to intervene and save their party from its crisis in the state.

Chief Mbam and other stakeholders of the clan made the call on Saturday, a few days after the traditional rulers, council chairmen, lawmakers and others from the area endorsed the embattled speaker of the State House of Assembly, Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, as their sole candidate for the governorship position for their party.

According to Mbam, the endorsement of Nwifuru by the traditional rulers and government appointees was solely for themselves and not for the interest of Izzi people. He, however, disassociated himself from the endorsement.

According to Mbam, “What you are hearing does not in any way reflect the position of Izzi. What anyone is saying is for personal interest. It does not represent the opinion of Izzi people.

“The governor met with us and directed that we meet and advice him on whom we will like to be considered. That was still to be done and the traditional rulers that are not politicians went and made statements when they are not supposed to choose a candidate for the party.

“After their own statement followed government appointees and with what is happening, I have decided to disassociate myself with this process because I have lost confidence in it. It does not represent the opinion of our people, and our people will speak on the right day. 

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What they said on the radio only represents the wishes of those that said it and not Izzi people.” 

The stakeholders in their part, while briefing Journalists noted that only the intervention of the party leaders can avert the crisis in the area and urged them to act fast before the crisis escalates and ruin the chances of their party winning the forthcoming general elections.

The stakeholders who included a former Ambassador, Chief Alex Nwofe, Chief Michael Udenwe, Chief Nick Ochigbo, Uchenna Nshi, Godwin Nwamkpuma and many others, described the plot as undemocratic.

The statement reads in part “In view of the recent developments, we the concerned APC stakeholders of Izzi clan/extraction hereby disassociate ourselves from further deliberation on the matter as we have lost confidence in the fairness and impartiality of the members of the Committee to achieve the target as mandated to us by His Excellency, the Governor. 

“It is on record that all these adoptions were made by Government appointees, similarly, the Honorable Members of the State Assembly of Izzi extraction went ahead to toe the line of the political appointees on the grounds that His Excellency has promised them automatic ticket because they followed him to defect. 

“So far, there has not been any statement from the Government of Ebonyi State on these deplorable actions by the traditional rulers and appointees of the state government. It appears that these actions have the tacit support of the State Government, notwithstanding the call by some well-meaning members of Izzi clan on the state governor to call these people to order.

“We have therefore resolved to issue this press statement to the whole world, particularly, to the National leadership of the All Progressives Congress, Abuja to intervene and rescue the party from collapse ahead of the forthcoming 2023 general elections. We call on the Governor to note that he has the responsibility to ensure smooth transition of power in the State, particularly in the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

“He should not be silent in these acts or give impression that he is tacitly supporting these actions by his appointees which is capable of breaching the peace of the State. We shall not accept imposition of candidates on us as members of the Party in Ebonyi-North zone, particularly of Izzi clan.”