Anambra APC crisis deepens ahead of congress

AWKA, Anambra, Nigeria – The crises rocking  Anambra state chapter of   All Progressives Congress, APC got  messier during the week  as Minister of Labour and Employment,  Senator Chris Ngige and the party candidate  in the just concluded governorship  election, Senator Andy Uba  have moved  the  battlefield  to Abuja

 The Anambra state chapter of APC has been in crises for months , after  Chris Ngige, abandoned his followers  in the build  up to the recently concluded governorship election in the state.

Ngige had kicked against the processes that threw up the Party’s gubernatorial candidate in the state, Senator Andy Uba, and thereafter distanced himself from the party’s quest to clinch the Anambra State Government House.

But soon after the November 6, 2021 governorship election, the Minister made a dramatic return, with  intent to superintendent over the forthcoming state congress, where new executives to run the affairs of the party in the next four years would be chosen.

According to the  former House of Representatives member in the state Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, the minister cannot abandon his troops in war time and seek a return to lead this same beleaguered people in peace time.

Afam Ogene, who was director, Media and Publicity of the party’s governorship campaign council   in the last governorship election  said Ngige cannot  abandoned the party when he was mostly  needed and  come back later   to claim the leadership .

However, both contending groups have fixed meetings of the State Caucus of the party  for today,  Friday, December 10, 2021, in Abuja.

 Ngige group,  according to an invitation sent out by embattled  State Secretary of the party, Chukwuma Agufugo will   hold meeting at the Justice Mohammed Bello, Asokoro residence of the Minister.

While the group loyal to Senator Uba and the current deputy governor of Anambra state, Dr. Nkem Okeke, will be holding their own parley somewhere in the Maitama area of the city.

The Andy Uba group members include    the state party  chairman , Chief Basil Ejidike, current and former national and state Assembly members of the party, former gubernatorial aspirants and 14 out of 17 members of the state working committee of the party.

According a source in the party ,the number of State Caucus members who attend any of the two meetings would go a long way in determining where the leadership balance will tilt.  The sources said  caucus comprises persons listed under Article 12.9 of the APC Constitution (2014 As Amended).