Governing councils of tertiary institutions: Anambra APC elders protest to Tinubu

By Our Correspondent

The Anambra State APC Elders Forum has protested to President Bola Tinubu over alleged shortchanging of its members in the recent appointments of chairmen and members of the governing councils of federal government-owned tertiary institutions.

At a meeting in Awka on Wednesday, the elders expressed worry over the small number extended to Amambra, in spite of efforts they were making to put the party in the right footing to win future elections in the state.

Chairman of the forum, Sir Innocent Obi and director of operations, Chief Sam Oraegbunam, also complained that even among the few people that benefited were those not known to Anambra APC.

The letter which they addressed to the president through the Minister of Women Affairs read: “On behalf of the leaders and Elders Forum of All Progressives Congress [APC], Anambra State chapter, we write to request for Mr President’s urgent intervention on the just reviewed and released list of Governing Council for Federal Universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

“Your Excellency, out of 112 chairmanship positions published, only two chairmanship seats were allocated to Anambra State, and out of that two seats, one was given to one Prof Okey Ikeanyibe, who is not in any way known to neither the party nor its members in the state.

“It simply boils down to monkey dey work, baboon dey chop, which is an aspect, even Your Excellency has spoken against severally. How can the party ever grow to be able to win elections in the state?

“Secondly Sir, out of the 516 members published, only seven persons were said to have come from Anambra State. Still, out of that seven members, three are not known to APC family in the state.

“For instance, Chief Mrs Ifeoma Ekwueme is a known PDP chieftain, who has just concluded every arrangement to join APGA in Anambra State. Your Excellency, this situation has been the bane of our party over the years in the state.

“The governorship election in Anambra State is coming up next year in November; and every effort has to be made to encourage and mobilize members.

“APC members cannot afford being labelled as ‘Islamic’ and ‘Boko Haram’ people by APGA and its government in the state; and also denied by their party what legitimately should accrue to them. This will definitely amount to double jeopardy and a huge concern. Especially at this stage when APC is bent on uprooting the APGA administration in Anambra State.

“Again Sir, most disturbing is the fact that many committed stakeholders of the party, who featured in the first publication, were conspicuously removed in the just reviewed list. We are obviously dumbfounded!”

The elders requested the president, as a father and leader of the party, to intervene to avoid the humiliation and save APC in the state.