There is no end in sight for the supremacy battle rocking the Imo State chapter of the APC as the two major contending factions are still in bottled war over who is the official state Exco.
Trouble started in the party about two years ago when elections for the Exco’s from ward, LGA and State chapters commenced.
After an election that produced Dan Nwafor led Exco was conducted, it was latter dissolved for a caretaker committee under Marcon Nlemigbo. But the Nwafor group went to court and obtained judgment which appears not to be effective as the latter has continued in office.
Despite the coming of Senator Hope Uzodinma as the State Governor, and de facto leader of the party in the state giving backing to Madumere, the opposing Rescue Mission members are vehemently opposed to the Caretaker Committee Exco.
Signs that fresh war for the state Exco position have started emerged last weekend following a press statement credited to the factional group led by Nwafor. In the release authored by FCC Jones Onwasoanya, who claims to be the party’s spokesman.
“The attention of the Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to an advertorial signed by the National Vice-chairman, Southeast zone of our great Party, Chief Emma Eneukwu and published in some newspapers, including the Nigerian Horn of 31st January, 2020 and wrongly addressed to Chief Marcellinus Nlemigbo, as the caretaker committee chairman of the Party in the State.
“The Party in the State is still in celebration mood over the Supreme Court judgment that deservingly returned His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodimma as the duly elected governor of our dear State and welcomes the unsurprising influx of new and returning members to our great Party, especially, the defection of 18 members of the Imo State House of Assembly, thereby restoring our majority status in the House of Assembly.
“The All Progressives Congress is a Rule of Law abiding, progressive, masses based and disciplined political Party and cannot lend itself to actions, communications and inactions that may portray the Party as operating in contravention of its own founding ideologies. Therefore, the assertion by the National Vice-chairman, Southeast zone of our Party is erroneous, to the extent that there is no subsisting leadership structure of APC in Imo State. It is understood that he may not have been abreast of the subsisting judicial position on the matter. The authentic and legitimately recognized chairman of the Party in Imo State is Hon. Daniel Madueke Nwafor and all the organs of the Party in the State are duly constituted in accordance with the laws and guidelines of our Party and in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
“Chief Marcelinus Nlemigbo is therefore one of the valued leaders of the Party in the State, but not the State Chairman of the Party, as there is no Caretaker Committee in the State known to law, hence, the referenced letter should be ignored by all members of our Party and the general public.
“We restate our unalloyed loyalty to all lawful directives from the national chairman of our Party, His Excellency Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the National Working Committee and all superior organs and officers of the Party as we appeal for obedience to subsisting judicial orders, Party Constitution and Guidelines”.
