Ex- Speaker, Party Chieftains Lack Powers To Elect Zonal Party Chairman, Says Enugu APC

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, May 24th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Enugu State chapter of the All progressive Congress APC, has declared that the former Speaker of the state Assembly, Barr. Eugene Odoh, and other Chieftains of the party in Enugu North Senatorial zone lacks the constitutional power to conduct any form of election in the district without the knowledge of the state Chairman and his Executive Committee.

It however, described as ‘funny and a huge joke’ a recent statement credited to the Ex- Speaker, that a one-time Commissioner for Health in the State, Dr. Simon Idike, has been elected Enugu North Zonal Vice Chairman of the party.

Reacting to the development during a media briefing in Enugu yesterday night, State Caretaker Committee Chairman of APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye, said he was surprised that the former Speaker could involve himself in such an illegal act, even as a Distinguished learned lawyer.

Odoh, and former Nigerian Ambassador to Indian, Chris Eze, as well as a one time Member of house of Representatives, Chief Fidel Ayogu, had on Sunday announced that Dr. Idike, who served as Commissioner for Health, under the administration of Ex- Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, has been elected Enugu North Zonal Vice Chairman of the party

Dr. Nwoye, disclosed that the Enugu North Zonal office became vacant in 2020, after the former Chairman was removed from office after he allegedly abandoned his duties for a long time, adding that the Zonal Secretary became Igwe of his Community, while the Publicity Secretary left the party.

He equally dismissed in its entirety Odoh’s claim of alledged Marginalization of Enugu North Senatorial District by the party, saying the zone remains among the highest beneficiaries of APC in the state, especially interns of political appointments and other party patronages, “these verifiable facts.

“The fact remains that neither Hon. Eugene Odoh, the former Speaker of Enugu state House of Assembly, or any other person who attended the event they described in his statement as a Retreat, where he made the announcement, has the power or Authority to conduct any form of election, because we are operating under a Caretaker Committee arrangement.

“Leaders of the party within that zone knows the right thing they should have done, which is to meet, discussed and agree on whom to recommend for appointment as the APC Zonal Vice Chairman for North, and not engaging in a hoax venture, which never existed

“Under a Caretaker Committee arrangement, you don’t conduct election, no matter how highly placed you may be, including your status, positions you may have held or still holding.

The Chairman, added that he remains the only party officer in the State who has the Authority to appoint someone as a Caretaker Committee leader at any level in the state, based on the powers vested on him by the National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party

“Those people who gathered at the retreat should have known that APC as a political party operates within the ambit of the law, and we have rules and regulations guiding the party. Nwoye stated.

“People cannot just wake up one morning and gather in a place to have fun fare, after which they we announce that they have elected some one into a political office, things are not done that way, laid down rules must be followed in doing things in our party.

Dr. Nwoye, stated that the most funny thing is that same day Odoh and co said they met to elect the Zonal Vice Chairman was the day, I, the Chairman was in the zone to Inaugurate the leadership of the Senatorial district.

According to Nwoye,”how do you explain a situation where people claimed to have gathered in the name of APC to elect someone as the Enugu North Zonal Vice Chairman, and leaders from the zone such as Senator Ayogu, our 2019 guber Candidate, Barrister Okey Ezea, our 2015 Governorship Candidate and our National Board of Trustee (BOT) member, General J.J Okolagu were not aware of such purported decision

He said: “we have worked so hard to unite reunite APC in Enugu state, we have all paid dearly for fractionalization, and wouldn’t want a repeat of that experience for the interest of the party.