Confusion in APC as Ngige and Okonkwo fights over who controls

 

There is confusion now in the All Progressive Congress (APC) as Senator Annie Okonkwo and Senator Chris Ngige fights over who controls the party in Anambra state. Ngige said the party would not participate in the state’s local government  election billed for this Saturday but Okonkwo said otherwise. The story by Okonkwo went thus:

Deputy National Chairman of  the All Progressive Congress (APC), South, Senator Annie Okonkwo yesterday said that the party will participate in the January 11, local government area election in the state in Anambra state.

Senator Okonkwo announced this during a stake holders meeting in Awka yesterday, even, as he announced that people saying that the party will not participate in the council election does not mean well for the party and Anambra people.

The APC Deputy National Chairman South informed that he list of its chairmanship and counsellorship candidates were ready and have been sent to the electoral body and asked Anambra people in APC to ignore those people calling  for boycott  and prepare for the Saturday’s election.

 “We should concentrate in pushing our party

forward. APC is not anybody’s personal property.

According to him, “A member of the party cannot say APC will not

participate in the election. APC is a national party and not private

property for any individual, Okonkwo said.

For clarification, he said “APC will participate fully in the

election. So we must ignore those speculations and prepare for the

election. Recently some PDP governors and lawmakers defected to APC

because they have seen that the party wants change in the country.”

He however, charged the Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates to

continue their campaign, saying that they were duly elected during the

congresses conducted by the party in the state

Also speaking, Chairman of the party in the state, Mr. CJ Chinwuba

said: “Our party will participate in the election. I don’t know who

said that but I am the chairman of the party. My Exco has not taken

such decision; the National leadership of the party has not also taken

decision. It is not true.

He asked: “Of the 25 political parties that are participating, why is

it only our party that is claiming we are not participating? What is

the reason our party is not participating? That person doesn’t mean

well for our party. We don’t have to do things that will continue to

give people the impression that we don’t want the local government

system to thrive or we don’t want to empower young people.

“And by the way, why will the party not want to be part of the

election? This is a neighbourhood election for goodness sake. This is

an election that will bring us close to the people. Anambra people

have been yearning for local government election because this is the

lowest level of democracy and someone from the party will come and

tell you that APC is not participating in the council election, that

person does not mean well for our dear party because anybody who means

well for this party must allow the party to grow.

Chinwuba said: “The list of our chairmanship and councillorship

candidates has been submitted to ANSIEC long before now and they have

been campaigning. Please, let’s allow our party to move forward. People

are interested in joining this party; they should not be frustrated by

selfish interest. If you allow the local government to thrive, you

engage a lot of young people and bring development to the people.”