Buhari’s Aide Under Fire for Sponsoring Crisis in Enugu APC

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, July 5th, 2017

From Ignatius Okpara

ENUGU, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Enugu State Chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has expelled its Deputy Chairman, Adolphus Udeh, over alleged misconducts, including disrespect for the party.

The party also accused the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Justice Reform Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku of funding the destabilization of the APC structure to suit her alleged “selfish” political aspiration.

Enugu APC explained Udeh’s expulsion was “based on the report of the fact-finding/disciplinary committee set up to investigate the allegation against him.

“The Deputy Chairman stands expelled from the party with effect from today, 4th, 2017”, adding that the unrepentant Udeh, had been engaging in all manners of acts capable of dragging APC’s image to the mud as well as tear the party apart.

AFRICAN EXAMINER reports that Udeh and some aggrieved members of the State Working Committee, (SWC), including those that have been under suspension and whom the State’s Chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, described as dissidents, had on Monday forcefully broke into the party secretariat which was under lock and key, and held an emergency meeting during which they purportedly announced Nwoye’s suspension from the party.

But Nwoye had in a swift reaction described the exercise as laughable and “an exercise in futility, a mere drama that had no place in Article 21 of the APC Constitution”.

Presenting the resolution reached during the State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting held at the party’s secretariat, Enugu, amid tight security on Tuesday, with the media, Nwoye, explained that the heavy security was in connection with the arrest of some armed youths earlier in the day, who had come to destabilize the scheduled meeting.

The Enugu state APC boss, who was accompanied by leaders of the party from various levels, told newsmen that far reaching decisions were taken during the SEC meeting which lasted several hours.

However, the 10-point resolution which was signed by 49 SEC members of the party who attended the meeting read thus: “That we have passed a vote of confidence on the State Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye;

“That the State Executive Committee in its entirety condemned the barbaric, criminal and anti-party activities of undesirable elements in the party for having invaded the party office and announced the removal of the State Party chairman in a coup d’etat fashion and carted away vital party documents, including financial records on Monday 3rd July, 2017;

“That the State Executive Committee hereby resolved to setup a disciplinary committee to recommend appropriate sanction to be meted out to the above listed individuals in accordance with our party’s Constitution.”

While accusing Ibekaku of funding the crisis owing to her Senatorial ambition, the APC declared that it gathered from a dependable source that “the virus in the party was introduced and nurtured by Mrs. Ibekaku, SSA to Mr. President but attached to the Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.

“That the State Executive Committee hereby condemns the attitude of Mrs. Ibekaku in the party by funding the destabilization of the party structure to suit her selfish political aspirations;

“That the State Executive Committee resolved that no member of the State Executive Committee is answerable to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, or any other government appointee;

“That the Enugu State All Progressives Congress is peaceful and remains united.”

Meanwhile, APC Vice Chairman in the Enugu East senatorial district of the state, Chief Anike Nwaoga, has dissociated himself from the15 point resolution signed by some of the aggrieved members of the state Working Committee SWC, which alleged that the State’s Chairman, Dr. Nwoye has been suspended

Nwaoga told newsmen Tuesday in Enugu that his signature was forged by the expelled Deputy Chairman, pledging his unflinching loyalty to Dr. Nwoye. He also maintained that Article 21of the APC constitution is clearly explains the process of suspending a Chairman of the party.