By Nwafor Okafor
The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress may suspend the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige any moment soon.
Also to face similar sanction is the Director General National Inland Water Way, Chief George Moghalu.
The Anambra State APC chairman, Basil Ejidike stated this at a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Awka, Anambra State.
Ejidike who accused Ngige and Moghalu of stoking crises in the state chapter of the party said ” a committee had been set up to recommend appropriate sanction for the duo.
He said,” We are seriously disappointed by Senator Chris Ngige and Moughalu who benefited greatly from the party.
They are the persons sponsoring crisis in a party they benefited more than any other person in the state.
” As a party, we are seriously disappointed, particularly with Ngige. Ngige is the brain behind the crisis in Anambra state APC. Whatever is the problem of the party has always come from Ngige because he wants to remain the leader of the party in the state forever.
“He cannot be the leader forever. Today we have a sitting deputy governor , Dr Nkem Okeke, a serving senator, Chief Stella Oduah, and governorship candidate in the state, Dr Andy Uba. How can Ngige who occupied such position some decades back continues to claim the leadership of the party in the state. It’s not tenable.
” We are disappointed that despite Ngige being the highest beneficiary in the party in the state, he is bent on destroying the party .
“Nobody can destroy APC. No single person can destroy it. We are disappointed that Chief George Moughalu who was the former member of the national working committee of the party and National Auditor has joined hands with Ngige to destroy the party.
We have set up a disciplinary committee to unravel those who are engaged in anti-party activities; including the activities of Ngige and Moghalu. Any person found culpable shall be dealt with according to the letters of our cponstitution.
Ejidike who was suspended last week by a section of the party members led by Okonkwo Okom,urged the public to disregard the purported suspension .
He said “Mr Okonkwo Okom who made the announcement was a member of the party but left the party with his principal, Chief Dozie Nwankwo, to Action Alliance Congress. It’s ridiculous for somebody in AAC to sack somebody in APC”.Somebody cannot wake up from his bedroom and say, he has suspended chairman of a party.” We have a constitution guiding our business.
However, the state working committee of the party in a resolution on Monday asked the state chairman of the party, Basil Ejidike to step aside.
The resolution signed by the APC state secretary, Chukwuma Agufugo, read in part, “Events in our dear party, APC Anambra State Chapter in the last couple of days have not been particularly fascinating considering our poor outing at the just concluded Governorship election three weeks ago; the alleged suspension of the state publicity secretary Okelo Madukife by the state chairman, and now the suspension of the state chairman Chief Basil Ejidike all certify the above assertion.
“Political parties are set up to mobilise membership, campaign, run and win elections and not for internal bickering among members.Perennial failure and continuous internal rangling in our party calls for soul searching.
“It is bad enough that APC was not declared winner of the 2021 governorship election, a situation occassioned by several reasons according to our preliminary assessment.
“The array of suspension in APC Anambra State chapter shows that all is not well, hence the need for unity and refocus.
“The State Working Committee has received an official letter of suspension of the State Caretaker Committee chairman and has deliberated on that and other matters.
“As a result, it requested the Caretaker Chairman Chief Basil Ejidike to step aside.
“Consequently, a five man investigation committee will immediately be constituted to look into the matter and turn in its report.
We also resolved that in the spirit of pursuing the right cause, it is important to reach out to Sen. Dr. Chris Ngige, the leader of the party for consultation with other leaders including Sen. Dr. Andy Uba, Chief Dr. George Moghalu, Bar. Sharon Ikeazo, Dr. Nkem Okeke, Hon. Azuka Okwosa, Engr Johnbosco Onunkwo, Engr Bart Nwibe, Engr Nelson Onubuogu, all former Governorship aspirants and other leaders too numerous to mention”.
“We hope to very quickly request and summon a caucus meeting where we shall present the report of the investigation committee and also for leaders to meet one on one to brainstorm on the way forward.
“Thereafter a stakeholders meeting will be held.We hope that you consider this misunderstanding an internal family issue that does not need to be blown out of proportion because it can only get worst before it gets better and this is the first point of recovery,” the resolution maintained.
