The Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Comrade Adolphus Ude, has explained why the suspended Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Ben Nwoye, was after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.
Ude said Nwoye’s action emanated from the new lease of life the APC in the state currently enjoyed, occasioned by Onyeama’s stoppage of diversion of party funds.
Ude, in a statement he personally signed to distance the state chapter of the party from actions of Nwoye criticising the appointments of President Muhammadu Buhari, said: “The sin of the minister against Mr. Ben Nwoye is that the minister insisted in an all-inclusive party built on transparency and accountability so that the Presidency and national executives can take the party serious in Enugu State to forestall the repeat of what happened in 2015 election where party funds meant for elections were diverted.”
According to Ude, “Mr. Ben Nwoye has since then continued to criticize and distract the presidency.”
Ude further said “Nwoye was suspended from the party since July 3 for high handedness and anti-party activities by the majority of the State Working Committee,” saying that Nwoye cannot be speaking for APC in Enugu State.
Ude said: “Why is Ben Nwoye playing blame game when he, conniving with a national officer of the party from Enugu State, is the architect of all that is happening?
“I, the Woman Leader, Secretary, Youth Leader and all the other State Working Committee members prayed for an all-inclusive list of 50 members for appointment, but the national officer categorically explained that not everybody that worked for APC will get an appointment.
“Mr. Nwoye and the national officer compiled the list of their friends and submitted to the presidency and it was rejected.”
The statement added: “The Presidency is appointing people it believes will help in repositioning, re-energizing and re-kindling the hope of the party in the state for future elections. This is because some leaders of the party are conniving with Mr. Ben Nwoye to mortgage the party to the opposition. Those that diverted party funds cannot ‘eat their cake and have it.’
“Currently, the Presidency is using its discretion to appoint members of the board. When the fund meant for elections were diverted by some of the leaders, didn’t they know that the Presidency will get to know about it? Their penchant for diverting party funds has continued unabated. How can President Buhari appoint members of the party accused of financial misappropriation to the board?” Ude asked.
