Defection: Enugu APC says Ex-Governor Chime is not its member

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8 years ago

THE Enugu State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied a section of media reports that the immediate-past governor of the State, Sullivan Chime, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to its fold.

Speaking in a telephone interview with the Saturday Tribune in Enugu on Friday, the State Chairman of the APC, Dr Ben Nwonye however agreed that there were talks with the ex-governor and other notable political figures in the state on their possibilities to join the APC, adding that consultations were still going on.

Dr Nwonye noted that there are procedures for registration of members into APC and Ex-Governor Chime is a big fish whose entry into APC will not be done behind close doors, stressing that as at now, the former governor has not joined APC.

“We will be happy if Ex-Governor Chime joins us in APC but for now he is not our member. APC is open to all and the whole world will know when a notable figure like Chime is registered in the party. We do not register members on social media”, he added.

Late Thursday night, spokesman of the APC in the Southeast, Hyacinth Ngwu, wrote in his Facebook timeline: “Breaking News: Today, His Excellency Barr. Sullivan Iheanacho Chime, immediate past governor of Enugu State joined APC.”

The post, however, did not go down well with some Nigerians who felt Chime’s defection was to evade prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over his alleged involvement in the 2015 election money shared by former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison Madueke.

But Ngwu swiftly fired back at Chime’s critics with another post.

It read: “I wonder how some of the opposite politicians talk. If their member is questioned by EFCC or ICPC or invited by the Police, they will shout to the heavens, ‘victimization, oppression of political opponents.”

“But when the same person defects to (APC), a better party with vision for Nigeria, they roar that the same defected to avoid interrogation by EFCC, ICPC or the Police. Haba, which way my people?”