Clement Oko, Abakaliki
No fewer than 23 eminent Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, have petitioned the Chairman of the Caretaker/Convention Committee, Governor Mala Mai Bumi of Yobe State, calling for the setting up of Caretaker Committee to pilot the affairs of the party in the State.
In a petition signed by the party Leaders dated October 19th 2020 titled ‘Attempt to Deceive, Cover-up and foist illegality on the party in Ebonyi State’, the party faithful raised alarm on attempt by a faction to foist illegality in the party.
They recounted that the APC in the State had over the years been fragmented into two camps, with one faction loyal to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and the other loyal to the former Senator representing Ebonyi Central Zone between( 2007-2011), Chief Julius Ucha.
The stakeholders reiterated that they do not belong to any of the two contending camps but were only interested in restoring peace, order and sanity in the party.
“We thus make the following prayers, that the Chairman of the Convention Committee set up a Caretaker Committee for Ebonyi APC and convene a genuine meeting involving all the aggrieved parties).
“That the planned party registration be handled by the Caretaker Committee, those who flouted the presidential and NEC directive on court cases be disciplined accordingly.”
Notable personalities and APC faithful of Ebonyi State, who signed the petition, included Amb. Nwanne Ominyi, Amb. Alex Nwofe, a former lawmaker representing Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency Hon Peter Ede, Chief Festus Ifesinachi and Hon. Darlington Okereke, among others.
They flayed the earlier meeting conveyed by a faction of the party headed by Pastor Eze Nwachukwu Eze on October 15th 2020, describing it as a charade.
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“In a bid to cover up the truth and hoodwink the party to believe that all is well. Pastor Nwachukwu called a meeting of some members.
“It was not a peace meeting as people in the contending faction were neither present, represented nor had their grievances addressed.
“However, the meeting on its own was illegal, as the faction that held the meeting had been sacked by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The party stakeholders warned that the experiences of the party in Zamfara and Rivers states, respectively, should not be allowed to repeat itself in Ebonyi State.