The Enugu State caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Friday threw its weight behind Dr. Ben Nwoye-led leadership of the party.
The party has been faced with crisis in recent times, with a faction led by one A.C Udeh laying claim to its leadership.
However, Ude’s claim to the party’s leadership suffered a major set-back as the caucus endorsed his suspension.
Others suspended were those involved in the alleged invasion of the State Party office on July 3, 2017.
The Chairman of the party’s Reconciliation Committee (a standing committee), former military administrator of Gombe State, Group Capt. Joe Oji, read the resolution of the caucus after its meeting. Hide quoted text The caucus after the meeting that lasted close to midnight on Friday, at Nike Lake Resort Enugu, said “We condemn in strong terms the invasion of the Party Office by the State Deputy Chairman, Adolphus Udeh and his Group on Monday 3, 2017”.
“The caucus directs that the State Deputy Chairman and the other suspended Party members involved be invited to the next meeting of the caucus,” the resolution read.
The caucus meeting, which was the second after its inauguration last month, was attended by major stakeholders and party elders including the National Vice Chairman, South East, Chief Emma Eneukwu; former Governor of old Anambra State, Sen Jim Nwobodo; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Sullivan Chime; Group Capt. Joe Oji; former Speaker of the State Assembly, Eugene Odoh; a former member of House of Representatives, Uchenna Ekwe; the chairman of contact and mobilization committee of the party, Chief Gbazuagu Nweke Gbazuagu and Nigeria’s Ambassador to India, Maj. Gen. Chris Eze (Rtd).
Others are former governorship candidate of the party in 2015, Okey Ezea; business tycoon and party financier, Emperor Chris Baywood-Ibe; two transport moguls, Evang. Sam Onyishi (MD Peace Mass Transit Ltd) and former secretary to Enugu state Government, Onyemuche Nnamani (MD Autor Star Transport Ltd); former Chairman of Enugu North LGA, G. B. Onoh; former Commissioner, Mathias Omeh; and others.
Responding to questions from journalists, Group Capt Oji stated that the caucus took into consideration the need to give those affected fair hearing hence the directive to invite them in the next caucus meeting.
He said that APC was offering big change which encompassed attitudinal and character changes.
“The party is open to accept new members. However, the party will not tolerate indiscipline,” he said.
It will be recalled that the State Deputy Chairman of the party, Udeh led some members to break into the party secretariat on July 3, 2017 and announced the suspension of the chairman, Dr. Nwoye over sundry issues.
The State Executive of Party was convened the following day, July 4, wherein the SEC resolved to expel Udeh and suspend 18 other members that participated in the “coup-d’état”.
The SEC some day later also announced the suspension of Barr. Juliet Ibekaku, Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Judicial Reform, for alleged mastermind of the crisis in the party.
But the State Caucus converted the expulsion of Udeh to suspension, saying it was the National Executive Committee of the party that can ratify expulsion of any member.
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