No leadership crisis in Ebonyi APC

Chief Eze Nwachukwu

Chief Eze Nwachukwu, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi, says there is no leadership crisis in the state chapter of the party, as alleged in some media reports.

Nwachukwu, also the state’s Commissioner for Inter-Governmental Affairs disclosed this at a news on Saturday in Abakaliki.

He said that the reports were the figment of the imagination of those peddling them.

Nwachukwu, also the immediate past state chairman of APC, said that APC under the leadership of Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha had remained peaceful and united in the state.

He urged the public, supporters and party faithful to discountenance the said report adding that the party would not give room to detractors to destabilise it.

” It has become expedient that I react to the publication alleging leadership crisis in our great party over the appointment of Okoro-Emegha as chairman, Caretaker Committee of APC in Ebonyi.

“I am the immediate past chairman of APC and the emergence of Okoro-Emegha as the current chairman, caretaker committee is a welcome development and it followed laid down legal and constitutional provisions of our party.

“As the leader of the State Working Committee (SWC) I and other members stepped aside when the national leadership of the party led by Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe came here and inaugurated the committee which we all accepted.

“We know it in principle as enshrined in our party constitution in 2013 that if a governor joins the party, he automatically takes over the party structure.

“This provision made it possible for Saraki and Mr. Rotimi Amaechi as then governors of Kwara and Rivers respectively to take over the APC structure in their states during the member from the New PDP,” he said.

Nwachukwu added: “The agreement still subsists. This is why when Gov. Dave Umahi joined the party, the same played out and we vacated our offices.

“Umahi took over the party structure and in his magnanimity, blended it to include old APC members and those who joined the party with the governor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The party constitution is clear on rights and privileges of members that once you register and join the party, you automatically become an equal beneficiary with old members.”

He said that it was wrong for some persons to insist that former SWC members which was dissolved in accordance with the party constitution be reinstated.

“I am a founding member of APC and has held several positions in the party, the group calling for the dissolution of the Okoro-Emegha led caretaker committee are not members of our party, they are faceless individuals,” he added.

Nwachukwu extolled the Umahi-led administration for promoting infrastructure development in the state, transparency and fiscal accountability in governance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a group led by Chief Sylvester Oketa, Mr Linus Nweze and Joseph Nweke had described the Okoro-Emegha committee as illegal and unconstitutional and called on the national leadership to restore the former NWC.