The 2023 senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Enugu North Senatorial District of Enugu State, Amb Ejike Eze, Wednesday, said the hijack of the APC structures in the state by defectors from other parties prompted his resignation from the ruling party.
Recall that Gov Peter Mbah had last year left the Peoples Democratic Party alongside members of the state Executive Council, House of Assembly (except LP’s Harrison Ogara), council chairmen and past governors in the state for APC. The then state Chairman of PDP, Dr Martin Chukwunweike, later emerged state Chairman of APC through a consensus, a development that attracted reactions from some founding members of APC in the state.
Eze, one-time Nigerian diplomat and Senior Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, claimed APC in the state lacks cohesion. According to him, he had gained nothing from the party since joining it.
He specifically lamented the benching of the ‘original’ promoters of APC in the state by the new entrants, and predicted doom for the party in 2027.
Quoting him, “The people who defected from the PDP into APC arm-twisted members of old APC. They took all the executive positions in the party at the political wards, local governments and at the state level, leaving those of us who made huge financial sacrifices and other struggles for the party with nothing.”
He said despite leaving APC, he remained committed to pursuing his senatorial ambition to represent the people of Enugu North in the Senate. He claimed that the people of the zone were being marginalized in the state despite their numerical strength.
In his words, “I insist on justice, fairness and respect for my people of Enugu North in the distribution of dividends of democracy in Enugu State. For instance, the position of Deputy National Chairman, South, belongs to Enugu North Senatorial District, but it was given to another senatorial zone, and instead of the governor correcting it, he gave it to his town’s man. Yet, they parade themselves as leaders. I seek an end to that in Enugu North Senatorial District.”
He equally expressed his frustration over what he called the divide between the led and leaders in Enugu State.
He said, “At my level and position, I can’t reach the governor, the chief of staff, and a minister of Enugu State extraction despite so many hours I spent in their offices. What would then happen to ordinary people who may have the need to see these leaders?
“If somebody like me who served this country for 33 years, including eight years I worked with a former president of this country, cannot communicate with our leaders in APC, then, who will? Then, they would come out and pose as people working with President Bola Tinubu! If they don’t take time, they would get the worst result from this region because they are not communicating with the people.”
He called for unity in Enugu North Senatorial zone to enable them to get what is due to them in Nigeria.
“Anybody who must get anything from my people must respect and talk to us and equally accommodate everybody fairly and equitably. Those who seek our votes must discuss with us. We will no longer accept unfair sharing of political appointments and dividends of democracy.”
He warned that election rigging and imposition of candidates would not be tolerated in 2027: “Enugu North people must be allowed to elect those who would represent them at leadership positions. Any form of imposition would not be tolerated.”
