APC crisis: On zoning arrangement, we stand – Enugu West stakeholders

By CHARLES IWUOHA

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, on Thursday, reaffirmed their stand on the earlier zoning arrangement agreed upon by members of the party in the state.

It could be recalled that the party has been enmeshed in leadership crisis in the state, culminating in the emergence of two factions.

However, the APC in the State, which has the likes of Mr Osita Okechukwu, Dr Ben Nwoye, Emperor Baywood Ibe, among others, have continued to insist that the position of the State Chairman of the party was zoned to the Greater Awgu, in Enugu West Senatorial Zone, whereas Barr. Ugochukwu Agballah, who is also laying claim to the position, is from Udi Local Government Area.

In a communique issued after their meeting in Enugu, the stakeholders from Enugu West said there was no going back on the zoning arrangement.

It was signed by Comrade A. C. Ude, Hon. Tony Ibekwe, Mrs Kate Offor, Lolo Queen Nwankwo, Ebubeagu Felix Okafor and all the Local Government Chairmen of APC in Enugu West.

The communiqué read in part: “That we adopt the advice of our leader, Osita Okechukwu, who asked us not to be against harmonization, but to exercise patience and wait for the emergence of new national officers, so that the outcome of any harmonization will be effected in the database.

“That we are going to be patient and accommodate each other, despite our anger and differences, as APC is not just a party, but a bond.

“That we stand on Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s report on peaceful reconciliation and harmonization, which was submitted to the National Secretariat by his committee, which has His Excellency, Barr Sullivan Chime as a member.

“That we stand on the current zoning of party offices in the state, where the State Chairmanship was zoned to Enugu West and micro-zoned to Greater Awgu.

“That the State Chairman of the Party from Enugu West cannot come from a local government that has the Minister, Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), SA to the President, Chairman of Kano Teaching Hospital, Chairman of Board, Personal Assistant to the Minister and so on; that doing such is an injustice and not in tandem with the party’s principle of equity, justice and fairness.

“That for a lasting Peace to take effect in APC Enugu State, a greater Awgu person must be the Chairman, not minding who the person is.

“That we want APC to unite as soon as possible and chart a new course so that we can win elections.”

They also said in the communiqué that the Enugu North Senatorial zone should not expect to be supported in their bid to produce a member of the National Working Committee of the Party, “having worked against the zoning of party offices in the state.”

The stakeholders equally reiterated their support “to President Muhammadu Buhari, for his zero-tolerance to injustice and belief in the bottom-up approach of political party leadership.