2023: Foreign Affairs Minister, Nnamani, Nwoye, Chime, Von DG, Others Boycott Enugu APC Presidential Rally

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The lingering crisis bedeviling the Enugu state Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Wednesday took a turn for the worse, as prominent stakeholders of the party such as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Ex Senate president, Chief Ken Nnamani, immediate past Governor of the state, Barr. Sullivan Chime and others shun the party’s presidential campaign rally held in Enugu.

Other major Stakeholders of the party in the state that boycotted the event included immediate past Chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye, Director General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Barr. Eugene Udo, Senator Ayogu Eze, Ex- Secretary to Enugu State government SSG, Barr. Onyemuche Nnamani, presidential aide, Barr. Mrs. Juliet Nwangwu, amongst others.

Aside the prominent Stakeholders, members of the party from Enugu state, also stayed away from the rally, which was attended virtually by only members of the party from Enugu and Ebonyi states.
The APC Presidential Candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in Enugu where he addressed a rally at the Michael Okpara Square.

African Examiner reports that leaders of the party had earlier in the day received Tinubu at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

However, while the Presidential candidate headed to the Michael Okpara Square venue of the rally, the party leaders diverted to Chime’s Enugu residence, where they addressed Newsmen.

They said their absence at the rally was to send a clear signal to the national leadership of the APC that something urgently must be done over the crisis in the Enugu State chapter of the party.

Blames were heaped on Imo state governor, Hope Uzodinma for allegedly hijacking the APC structure in Enugu State, thereby disorganizing the party.

The various speakers, including Chime, Nnamani and Odoh said they were not privy to all the preparations and programme for the rally.

They described Tinubu as a good candidate, assuring that they would work for his victory in the presidential election.

According to Chime, “we received our presidential candidate at the Airport. We believe in him, he is the best.

“However, we are not at Okpara Square because of the internal issues we have in Enugu within the party. It has been there and this is because sometime in October, 2021, a non-member was foisted on us after the botched State Party Congress as a so-called chairman.

“The party leaders went to Abuja, complained but nobody took them seriously, the issues continued. So, we have to distance ourselves from the local chapter of the party.

“After today, we expect that the party will do the right thing.”

On the party’s candidate, Chime said, “we will ensure that he gets more than the required 25 percent. Enugu must be counted.

“Today’s event is just a rally, the major thing is election and we are working hard to see to the victory of the party.”

Similarly, Senator Nnamani declared that, “Tinubu is the candidate of the party and all loyal party members will support and work for his victory.”

He, however, disclosed that “we are not aware of the preparations for this rally. That is why we did not want to go and create a scene there.

“The rally was pretty much organized from outside Enugu.”

Tinubu had at the rally assured that he would make Igboland an industrial hub.

He came hard on the successive governments over their failure to construct the 2nd Niger Bridge, which he said would be commissioned soon having been completed by the APC administration.

The APC candidate called on Ndigbo to collect their Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC, saying “it is their power and gold mine

Also at the rally were Governors Dave Umahi and Hope Uzodinma of Ebonyi and Imo States, former governor of Edo state, Comrade Adams Oshoimhole, amongst others.