Magnus Eze, Enugu
The South East chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the appointment of Anayo Nnebe as Special Assistant (Political Matters) by the Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The speaker recently announced the appointment of his former colleague, Nnebe, who represented Awka North/South in the Green Chambers on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), as assistant for the South East.
The Conference of APC State Publicity Secretaries, South East, Conference of South East 2019 APC House of Assembly Candidates (COSEAPCHOAC) as well as APC Youth Progressive Forum in their separate reactions, yesterday, said the appointment amounted to not rewarding loyalty.
They asked the speaker to reconsider his decision, noting that effort s at the moment should be towards consolidating the party in the South East by encouraging party members and not empowering opposition.
The former assembly candidates in a statement by their coordinator, Tochukwu Onyedibe and secretary, Confidence Chukwuedozie stated: “We think it is truly a bad choice and a humiliation on the entire APC in the South East for a non-APC member to be the best choice of Mr. Speaker for the position of a political assistant for the region, whereas we have credible, loyal and productive party faithful good enough for the job in the South East region.
“If we don’t speak up now, people who worked against us will infiltrate the party while party members will be side lined. In the spirit of fairness and equity especially with the state of APC in the zone, Nnebe should not represent South East APC on political issues. There must be reward for loyalty in South East APC.”
Leader of the South East Progressive Youths Forum, Otimkpu Paschal, threatened to declare the speaker a persona non-granta in the zone and mobilise APC youths for a protest in Abuja.