From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Crisis is currently looming in the Anambra State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the state leadership has disowned Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, for not publicly endorsing the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
The state chapter also disowned the State’s Publicity Secretary, Okelo Madukaife, claiming that he has since 2020 seized to be its spokesperson.
State Chairman, Basil Ejidike, read the riot act while reacting to the comments made on a television programme recently by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.
He expressed anger over Ngige’s failure to publicly affirm his choice of presidential candidate between Tinubu and Peter Obi of Labour party (LP), when he was asked to do so by the presenter.
He wonders why Ngige should avade and find it difficult to answer such question, claiming that both Tinubu and Peter Obi are his friends.
In a statement he personally signed and issued in Abuja on Sunday, he dissociated APC under his leadership in the state from Ngige’s comment during the interview.
He disclosed that Anambra APC has commenced grassroots mobilisation for the victory of its presidential candidate and all other candidates contesting on the platform.
According to him; “Anambra APC will work hard to give Tinubu a surprising results at the poll against all odds. Ngige never said he represented the party during the interview and whatever he said was personal and does not reflect the position of the party in Anambra state.”
Ejidike also called on the general public to; “disregard misconceptions Ngige’s response on the television interview might have caused. Anambra will honour Tinubu and the party with massive votes in the forthcoming general elections.”
While expressing worry over the activities of Madukaife who was the former State Publicity Secretary of the party, the state chairman declared that; “Madukaife had been sacked by the party in 2021 and replaced with Valentine Oliobi as the substantive publicity secretary of the party in the state.
“He has been parading himself as the party’s spokesman when he is not a member. If the former national chairman of the party Adams Oshiomhole could step aside. I don’t know why Okelo Madukaife is still parading himself as the publicity secretary of the state APC.
“He was suspended in July 2021 for anti-party activities. As a chairman of the party, I am not aware that Okelo has been re-admitted to the party. He is not a member of Anambra State APC,” Ejidike said.
Speaking further He said that; “in January this year, Anambra State APC conducted an election and because he was sacked he could not purchase a form to participate in the process. During the election, valentine Iyke Oliobi was elected as the substantive publicity secretary of the state APC.”