APC Ready to Participate in Enugu Local Government Polls

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Ignatius Okpara, Latest Headlines, News, Politics Monday, June 26th, 2017

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Enugu state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed its readiness to participate in the proposed local government area election in the state, just as it retreated her her determination to wrestle power from the ruling Peoples Democratic party PDP in 2019.

However, as part of practical moves to reposition the party ahead of the council polls, it has set up two vital committees, which includes the local government elections committee, headed by the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odoh; and reconciliation committee headed by former military administrator of Gombe state, Group Capt. Joe Oji.

Briefing newsmen at the end of its maiden inaugural caucus meeting on Sunday in Enugu, state Chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, said “APC is determined to take over Enugu state in 2019 starting with theproposed council elections.

According to him,” Leaders of the party gathered and deliberated fruitfully and successfully as it relates to the administration of the party, as well as the future of the party, Political parties are meant to go into election and win election, and the major agreement we had today is that APC Enugu state is ready to participate in the local government election if, and when the time table for the election is released.

“The issue of whether or not Enugu state APC will go into election is resolved today, that if the ruling party in the state (the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) honestly decides that they want to have a local government election, to follow the legislative process of one, announcing the time table and all other legislative emphasis, that we are ready.”

Nwoye, disclosed that the caucus acknowledged the need to have reconciliation committee “to look into issues that people who are aggrieved may have brought up in the three senatorial districts, that is not to say that those who had gone through constitutional process, that anything will be done; but those who are aiding cleavages of issues which arose, the (reconciliation) committee will look into it.”

The chairman, boasted that the wind of change had started to blow in Enugu’s political atmosphere with unprecedented migration of political heavy weights from PDP to APC; such as former Governor of old Anambra state, Sen Jim Nwobodo; former Governor of the state, Sullivan Chime; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former Speaker of the State Assembly, Eugene Odoh, former military administrator of Gombe state, Group Capt. Joe Oji (rtd) and wife of former national chairman of PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Dr. Dorothy, among others.

African Examiner reports that the caucus body of the party which was inaugurated recently is chaired by the state chairman of the party, Dr. Nwoye.

Meanwhile, the meeting was attended by the immediate past Governor of the State, Sullivan Chime; national Vice Chairman of APC South East, Emma Eneukwu; former military Governor of Gombe state Group Captain Joe Orji (rtd), transport mogul, and chairman of Peace Mass Transit Ltd, Sam Onyeishi, one time Secretary to Enugu state government, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, newly posted Nigerian Ambassador to India, General Chris Eze.

Others are; the Director General of Voice of Nigeria VON, Osita Okechukwu; immediate past Speaker of Enugu state House of Assembly, Chief Eugene Odoh; business mogul, Emperor Baywood Ibe; Chief Gabriel . Onoh; member of APC Board of Trustee, BOT, Maj. Gen. J. O. J Okolagu; amongst others.