Stakeholders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State have decried the effects of the crisis within the party and urged members to embrace unity for the future of the party.
A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the APC, Brigadier-General Josef Okoloagu (rtd), gave the charge while speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting of the party from the Enugu North Senatorial Zone, held in Ogbede, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Brigadier-General Okoloagu, who briefed journalists after the meeting, lamented the dwindling fortunes of the party in the state and attributed this to the internal crisis that has engulfed the party in recent times.
Okoloagu said, “We have evaluated, deliberated on, and reflected upon the issues affecting our party, especially the persistent crisis being deliberately engineered by the purported state chairman, whom the court has suspended through an injunction that has yet to be vacated.
“However, due to the prevailing impunity in the land, he has continued to act as if he remains the party chairman.”
The APC BoT member accused some highly-placed members of the party in the state and the South-East region, saying, “They should concentrate on their duties and leave Enugu State alone. We must trace the root of the problems in order to find lasting solutions.”
“We condemn, in its entirety, the lopsided appointments being made in the party, which are currently skewed against the Enugu North zone. This zone has remained loyal and submissive to the party.
“We therefore appeal to Mr. President to ensure that, in future appointments, Enugu North Senatorial Zone is treated fairly, like other zones — not just within Enugu State but across the country.”
Okoloagu stated that his involvement in politics was not for personal gain but to serve his people.
He recalled how he rejected N50 million and a board chairmanship as inducement to withdraw his legal suit at the election tribunal.
Speaking in the same vein, a former Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odo, said: “We are now in governance, and in governance, we are in APC.
“We are striving to take over power and to deliver meaningful projects and purposeful leadership that will benefit the people.
“We strongly commend Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for his giant strides, especially in the Enugu North Senatorial Zone.
“For us, we believe he has exceeded our expectations, and we urge him not to relent in his service to the people of Enugu North. Enugu APC is not involved in politics for its own sake — we are in it for the sake of good governance.
“We have witnessed good governance in Enugu State in terms of infrastructure, and our people have benefited in various ways. Many are currently undertaking contracts.
“For instance, there is the dualisation of the Nike-Ugwogo-Opi-Nsukka Road.
“We also enjoy a relative advantage from the school system being constructed in all the 260 wards across the state.”
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