The lingering crisis over the conduct of the ward, local government, and state congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is deepening following the endorsement of the current Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, for another tenure in office.
It will be recalled that last week, some members of the party alleged that the congresses had been hijacked by some leaders of the party, accusing them of trying to impose the current Chairman on the party without following the due processes of conducting congresses.
According to the spokesman of the twenty-one local government chairmen in Awka, Mr. Frank Ndibe, Chairman of APC in Awka South Local Government Area:
“The National Working Committee of the APC in Abuja had sat and agreed that there shall be what they call consensus in every aspect of the party from the national to the state, local government, and wards. We have completed the first and second phases, and today, by March 3rd, we shall now get into that of the state. We are here to thank the National Working Committee for their commitment to peace and progress of our party, and we are also here to thank the state officers of the party in Anambra State for making sure that the decisions taken in the interest of peace are being applied.”
“We have come to endorse the working Chairman of Anambra State APC, Chief Sir Basil Ejidike, who has tirelessly worked to bring this party to the limelight from the slump.”
“You can bear me witness that before now, APC was a mockery, but today, APC is a thing of pride and honor, and people can now happily join the party, unlike what it used to be in the past.”
“That is why we have gathered to key into the position of the National Working Committee of the party.”
“The committee has studied the way things are in the party and has decided to bring peace into the party.”
“The committee has also told us at the state level to go home and use consensus to settle issues and bring peace to the party.”
Ndibe, however, noted that their position does not stop other contestants from taking part in the state congress, adding but was quick to note that with the chairmen standing behind Ejidike, other contestants do not stand any chance.
He also stated that the position of the National Working Committee is in the interest of the party at the state level, noting that it would be against peace in the party for people to work against it.
“We are not endorsing Basil Ejidike because we are afraid of anyone or the contestants. Everyone is entitled to his or her ambition, and ambition is free, and anybody is free to contest. But what we are saying does not resuscitate from Basil Ejidike’s position, and we are not being sponsored. So, if people feel going against the decision of the National Working Committee, there would not be warfare, and they are free to contest, and we are not seeing anybody as a threat.”
“If the twenty-one local government area chairmen can take this decision, I don’t know where the other contestants get people to vote for them,” he concluded.
