Maduako Igbokwe l Thursday, October 13, 2022
AWKA, Anambra, Nigeria – All Progressive Congress (APC) Anambra State chapter has disowned the Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Christ Ngige for not publicly endorsing the party’s presidential candidate Bola Tinubu for the 2023 general election.
The Chairman of the Anambra State APC, Chief Basil Ejidike dissociated the state party from Ngige’s comment on Chanel television on Friday. He stated this on Thursday at a press briefing on the state of Anambra State APC in Awka Anambra state.
According to him, the party has nothing to do with what the minister said on Channels television. He said that what ever Ngige said was personal opinion and he never said he represented the party during the interview.
” Ngige never said he represented the party during the interview and whatever he said was personal and does not reflect the position of the party in Anambra state” he said.
Recalled that Chris Ngige, has on Friday while appearing on Chanel television hesitated in endorsing his party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.
At the interview ,Dr Ngige, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, said he will make his choice at the ballot. “I’m not active in politics for now because I am facing national assignment,” he said .
When asked his preferred candidate between the APC’s Tinubu and the Labour Party’s Peter Obi, he said “both of them are my friends. My choice will be in the ballot box. It is a secret ballot. I shouldn’t tell Nigerians what I would do secretly.”
At the briefing, Ejidike also expressed worry over the activities of one Mr Okelo Madukaife who was the former state publicity secretary of the party.
According to him, Madukaife has been parading himself as the party’s spokesman when he is not a member. He noted that Okelo has been sacked by the party since 2021 and replaced with one Valentine Oliobi as the substantive publicity secretary of the party in the state.
He said Okelo was the former publicity secretary of state party and the executive of the party was dissolved in 2020 while he was suspended from the party in 2021.
“If the former national chairman of the party Adams Oshiomhole could step aside . I don’t know why Okelo Madukaife is still parading himself as the publicity secretary of state APC. He was suspended on July 2021 for anti party activities. As a chairman of the party, I’am not aware that Okelo has been re-admitted into the party. He is not a member of Anambra State APC” he said
According to him, January this year, Anambra State APC conducted election and because he was sacked he could not purchase form to participate in the process.
He said that during the election, Valentine Iyke Oliobi was elected as the substantive publicity secretary of state APC . Ejidike said that it was clear that Okelo was only speaking for himself and his pay masters and not for the party.
“Okelo Madukaife is an impostor and not known by the party in Anambra state as APC member” he said . According to him, despite all the distractions , the party is committed to delivering Tinubu and other APC candidates in the forthcoming elections in the state.
