• Accuse Gov Uzodinma Of Hijacking Enugu APC
By NewsBits
The presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) organized in Enugu on Wednesday was boycotted by major stakeholders of the party, protesting the purported hijack of the APC state chapter by the Imo state Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
The Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in Enugu where he addressed a rally at the Michael Okpara Square in the Independence Layout, Enugu.
However, leaders of the party in the State, including foreign affairs minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, former Enugu Governor, Barr. Sullivan Chime, Senator Ayogu Eze, former Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odoh, former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, among others stayed away from the event.
Also absent were the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the immediate past chairman of the Party in the State, Dr. Ben Nwoye and a presidential aide, Barr. Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku-Nwangwu
Earlier, the The leaders 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 journalists.
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 Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State for allegedly hijacking the APC structure in Enugu State, thereby disorganising 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, however, described Tinubu as a good candidate, assuring that they would work for his victory in the presidential election.
According to Chime, “we received our guber 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 Ken 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.”
It was, however, observed that the rally was largely attended by people conveyed in several commuter buses from different parts of the state and neighboring states by the organizers.
The rally was attended by the APC Deputy National Chairman, South, Barrister Emma Enekwu, who stood in for the Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Akwa Ibom, Senator Godswill Akpabio, former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole and APC National Woman Leader, Beta Edu, party chieftains Kashim Ibrahim-Imam and Gbazuagu Nweze Gbazuagu among others.
Many of the invited participants left the venue before Tinubu delivered his address as the drivers of the hired buses were threatening to leave their passengers behind if they were not ready to depart at that time.
