By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) South-East Young Progressives Forum has called on stakeholders of the party to cause certain persons involved in the finances of the party in the state to render account.
In a press conference in Awka on Thursday, the youth led by its National Convener, Paschal Candle, said only accountability would bring genuine reconciliation in the party in state.
The group maintained that they are interested for genuine reconciliation in party so that the party would be in sound stead to win elections in the state now that the party is in control at the federal level.
” APC is not a social club. We need to start winning elections in Anambra State as a political party. We can’t do that without genuine reconciliation of members.
Our correspondent gathered that at several times, common funds meant for the advancement of the cause of the party in the state were reportedly misappropriated by certain bigwigs in the party
The youth group in the Thursday press conference in Awka listed funds that would need to be a counted for to include: The 2021 governorship election campaign spendings; the disputed founds from the national/presidential primary and the 2023 presidential election campaign finances, which they group said “is generating a lot of bad blood in the party.”
THE GROUP’S STATEMENT READS:
We, The South East APC Young Progressives Forum, Anambra State Chapter welcomed the upcoming Anambra State APC Stakeholders meeting to be held on 15th July, 2023 The Marble Arch Hotel, Awka with high hopes and expectations from the meeting.
We have noted also the outcome of the Stakeholders Meeting of Anambra APC that took place in Abuja recently, which was well attended by notable stakeholders and leaders of the party in Anambra State. We hope and believe that this Stakeholders meeting will have huge and quality attendance.
The last meeting was called as part of the rebuilding and fence-mending efforts of the party in Anambra state so that all lingering issues and controversies hindering the progress of the party will be sorted out. We solidly stand with the Leadership of the Party on this. We congratulate the State Chairman and Members of State Working Committee for their commitment towards the Party.
In the meeting at Abuja, the recurring theme was the need to render accountability of past actions or inactions that has been the source of controversies, accusations, counter-accusations, infighting and bad blood among different interests in the party. To this end, a resolution was reached for account of the following to be rendered by those concerned:
1. The 2021 Governorship Election Campaign Spendings. Those involved should render accounts how the whole funds came and were disbursed.
2. The disputed funds from the 2022 National Convention/Presidential Primary. This very fund has been a subject of many controversies in which many Leaders involved have not properly disbursed these funds to the satisfaction of Party Stakeholders. This is the real bone of contention.
3. The 2023 Presidential Election Campaign Finances. Which is also generating a lot of bad blood in the party.
After a comprehensive deliberation on the above resolutions from the Stakeholders Meeting, the South East APC Young Progressives Forum Anambra State Chapter, have decided to unequivocally lend its voice to these resolutions. We believe that seeking accountability in these three listed events is a crucial first step to bringing about true reconciliation and healing for the APC in Anambra State.
We carried out a deep soul searching and sampling of opinions of party members from across different strata in Anambra State and we discovered that the unresolved controversies from the 2021 governorship election campaign handling, 2022 APC Presidential primary funds and the just concluded 2023 Presidential Campaign fund controversies were basically the major issues on the lips of party members and which is bringing so much division in the party along lines of interests.
We therefore arrived at the conclusion that, the party needs to get a closure on these unresolved issues otherwise the rebuilding efforts of the party may turn out to be a House built on quicksand which will collapse at the smallest sign of tremor. It is on this note that the South East APC Young Progressives Forum, who have taken it upon itself to be the new Conscience of the party in Anambra State and South East, is calling for the immediate setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Committee by the State Working Committee of the party with inputs from relevant stakeholders. We want this three topic issues to be the real agenda of this stakeholders meeting of 15th July, 2023.
This is what we want to be the first agenda of the meeting, where those in charge, will give a comprehensive account of how the funds of the 2021 Governorship Election Campaign was spent; how the funds that came directly to the party during the APC Presidential Primary were disbursed and how the funds that came into the party for the 2023 Presidential Election were spent. If these topic issues were well addressed, it will go a long way in calming nerves in the party.
Also, the Party should revisit the Report of Hon Chief Azuka Okwuosa led fact finding committee for 2017 and 2019 General Election and have the political will to implement the recommendations of the committee.
At the conclusion of this exercise, we would have succeeded in calming a lot of frayed nerves and correcting a lot of misconceptions where there are misconceptions. Also, necessary corrective measures would have been put in place to assuage any legitimate ill-feelings any section of party members may be feeling. This is minimum ground for a true and complete healing of hearts and mind in Anambra APC.
We also urged the Party to implement the findings of Hon Azuka Okwuosa Led fact finding Committee on 2017 and 2019 Elections. The inability of the State Working Committee to implement those recommendations had led to constant repeat of these siphoning of Election funds by section of stakeholders in every election.
There must be consequences for peoples action. The party should also take a decisive step in recommending appropriate sanctions to any stakeholder found wanting in misappropriating any of the funds listed above.
We further state that this call for accountability by the South East APC Young Progressives Forum Anambra State Chapter is in good faith and not targeted at any individual or section of the party but in overall interest of party considering the fact that the Anambra 2025 Governorship election season has started and the APC cannot afford to go into this all important election with a shaky foundation. The party needs to be as united as possible in order to better strategise on how best to bring Anambra State to the progressive fold come 2025.
We must be a seen as very viable and better alternative to the governing All Progressives Grand Alliance by Ndi Anambra come 2025 and the journey to that destination starts when we sort our internal differences and move as one, big, united and focused party.
We therefore call on the National Chairman, Senator Adamu Abudullahi, APC Zonal Chairman, Chief Ijeoma Arodiogbu, Anambra State Chairman of the APC, Chief Sir Basil Ejidike to look into these our demands and to expedite actions in implementing the resolution of the Stakeholders Meeting so that we can enter the next phase of our rebuilding process.
God Bless Nigeria.
God bless Anambra APC.
THE SIGNATORIES TO THE STATE ARE:
Paschal Candle.
National Convener.
Arinze Igboeli
Member
Okoye Francis
Member
Michael Chibuzor
State Coordinator.
Charles Iwuagwu.
Member
Obed Nworji
Member
Stanley Anika
Member
Chekwube Ezealor
State Secretary
Daniel Nwankwo
Member
Peter Aboy Obah
Member
THE GROUP’S STATEMENT WAS COPIED TO:
1)Secretary to the Government for the federation.
2)Chief of Staff to the President.
3) Governor Hope Uzodimma, Chairman APC Governors’ Forum.
4)APC National Chairman
5)APC Deputy National Chairman (South)
6)Anambra State APC Chairman
7) South East APC Zonal Chairman
