Enugu State APC congress splits into two factions

THE

structure of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu state was Saturday split into two factions following a rowdy state congress at Nnamdi Azikwe stadium Enugu. Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar; APC Vice Chairman South West, Chief. Pius Akinyelure; Father of the Groom & Oyo State Governor, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Father of the bride and Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje and Lagos State Commissioner for information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, during the wedding ceremony of Idris Ajimobi and Fatima Ganduje in Kano, on Saturday, March 3, 2018. The commotion that prevailed at the venue of the Congress made much of the party stalwarts to quickly leave the venue, a situation that created room for a faction of the group to anoint a former commissioner for lands n the state, Deacon Okey Ogbodo as state Chairman of the party. Party stalwarts who left venue of the Congress included former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former governor Sullivan Chime, the embattled state party chairman who recontested Dr. Ben Nwoye, among others. Speaking to newsmen shortly after the disrupted Congress, Minister for Foreign affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama said that even President Buhari fought for change. Onyeama said “We came in for change and the most cardinal thing is to have free and fair elections for the people to speak and it is so sad to Enugu state APC that we cannot hold simple free and fair elections where everybody is included. “We have tried and tried. We don’t care who get selected but let the best person get elected but it absolutely impossible because those who are in positions said they will not allow free and fair elections. We don’t want a fight but we want the majority will to prevail.” On her part, Senior Special Assistant to the President Buhari on Justice Reform, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu vowed that there would not be any congress in the state until election materials are provided. “We want free and fair election. No congress is holding in Enugu state today because the state chairman and the Zonal National Vice Chairman, Emma Eneukwu doesn’t want any election to hold today in Enugu. So there is no congress holding in Enugu today,” she said. After the Nnamdi Azikwe stadium commotion, Deacon Ogbodo and his supporters went and took over the party Secretariat where they addressed newsmen. Ogbodo said it was a liberation and victory for the APC members in the state, noting that his mission was to introduce robust democracy in the party. He said “APC is a credible platform for South East to negotiate power for our people. We are going to bring more people on board. It’s victory for all because their is no Victor no vanquished, even Ben Nwoye has even congratulated me.” All attempts to get Nwoye’s reaction to the crisis was not successful as his telephone lines were switched off immediately he left the venue.