Enugu APC Ward Congress hitch-free as party faithful boo Foreign Affairs Minister over alleged imposition of candidate

THE Ward Congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Enugu State on Saturday was hitch-free,  although there was a melodrama at Eke the country home of the Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Godfrey Onyeama,  when the majority of the party faithful booed him for allegedly attempting to impose a candidate on them.
Nigerian Tribune observed that the election of officers was almost being concluded when the Minister entered the party office which was the venue of the poll and sat down.
At the point, one of the Minister’s supporters took the microphone and announced for a fresh poll, prompting the large followers of the Director-General of the Viole of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu,  to shout “No No No” as well as booing him.

But not for the intervention of VON Boss, Okechukwu, the situation would have escalated to violence as tension was rising high before he ordered his supporters to leave the polling centre after the election was concluded.
The winner of the Eke Ward chairmanship, Philip Eze, told

Nigerian Tribune that he was happy over the overwhelming support he got from his party members, adding that he would not disappoint them and the  party

Meanwhile, Okechkwu, while reacting to the perceived cold war between him and the Minister, said there was no problem between them stressing that what transpired at the polling centre was a “brotherly affairs”.

In a similar development, Chief Jim Nwobodo, former Governor of Old Anambra State, noted that the enthusiasm and commitment showed by the party members was an indication that Ndi Igbo had understood the need to join a progressive party at the national level.
Nwobodo, who spoke at his Amechi East Ward 1 in Enugu South LGA, said that the large turn in his ward and elsewhere shows that more people in the South-East are identifying with the party.
He noted that it was clear that party members were willing to make the necessary sacrifice for the party to take over the entire zone.
“The large number of people you see here at this ward congress implies that APC is the party to be reckoned with and we are already having massive followership in the South-East and Enugu State,’’ he said.
“We have to return the former party executives in the ward unopposed. They did very well especially in canvassing and gathering membership for the party in their first term,’’ he said.
Also, former Senate President, Ken Nnamni lauded the party for adopting the open and transparent option A4 for its voting system at the ward congress; adding: “Option A4 and the friendly atmosphere the ward congress election was conducted guarantee its success.
Chief Nnamani , who spoke at his APC Ward 2 in Amechi-Uwani near Eke-Out Market in Enugu South LGA, noted that the taproot of politics is at the ward level, adding that APC had got it right by putting its house in order from the ward level of politics.
On the conduct of the ward congress, he thanked party members for showing resilience and undermining the weather to be at ward congress venue; adding that the whole process was devoid of rancour.
“Some of the executives were returned unopposed but as you can
see now, we have long queues for those that are being contested. And the beauty is that we are applying option A4 to ensure openness,’’ he said.
Chief Emma Eneukwu, National Vice Chairman of APC South-East,

adjudged the entire exercise as “very peaceful and orderly’’; while the turn-out was “unprecedented in the history of political ward congresses in Enugu’’.
Eneukwu, who spoke at his Obinagu Ward in Udi Local Government Area, said that the large turn-out and general comfort of all show the importance the party members attach to the exercise.
On the congress proper in his ward, he noted that the ward executives were returned opposed as the people wish “they continue their good work for the party’’.

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Chief Ben Eze, Chairman of APC Oji River Local Government Area,

said that the turn-out was highly impressive as most wards recorded over 400 members.
Eze, who spoke from his Apugoeze Ward in Oji River, said that we recorded 480 members turning out for the ward congress.
On the congress proper in Apugoeze Ward, he revealed that all the former executives were returned unopposed.
In Ward 4, at  Zik Avenue Primary School, Uwani; accreditation and voting went on peacefully and all the members were returned unopposed.

Mr John Nnona, Chairman-elect of the ward, thanked the party members for their comportment and “trust in my leadership all these years’’.

In Akabugwu Ward 1 and 2, the exercise was also peaceful and former executives returned unopposed.