Zone chapter, Imo State, following the contest among the various Groups within the party in the zone regarding the position of Apex Leader.
According to information available to Trumpeta Newspaper, the issue of who occupies the position of Apex Leader has thrown up a problem that has pitted Owerri zone APC against itself.
Trumpeta learnt that the matter came up in the open, following a plan by some people in APC in Owerri Zone to host the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to a Civic Reception,
However, in releasing the list of the Organizing Committee of the Civic Reception, the paper was signed by Prince Lemmy Akakem as Apex Leader, Chief Charles Amadi (Chalvon) as Zonal Leader and the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Iyke Njoku as the Convener.
Since that list hit the public domain, reactions have followed the Press Release, to the extent that another Group of Imo APC member in Owerri Zone has questioned who arrogated Prince Lemmy Akakem the authority of the Apex Leader and Charles Amadi the Zonal Leader.
Some Owerri Zone Leaders like Chief Uzoma Obiyo whose name appeared on the list of the Organizing Committee has since come out to deny that at no time did he attend a meeting where the Reception of the Governor was discussed.
As it stands now, another APC Group claiming to be close to the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has denied the Prince Lemmy Akakem Group, alleging that the Akakem Group has not such authority to host the Imo State Governor when the Akakem Camp only joined the Uzodinma Governorship Train in 2019, when the Governor had already won the election, without the Akakem Group providing any support, be it financially or mobilization.
This Group said that Uzodinma’s Group is called CampHope and accused the Akakem Group of being an off-shoot of former Governor Rochas Okorocha’s camp, as Chief Charles Amadi was the major Campaign Leader of Chief Uche Nwosu, Okorocha’s son inlaw who was Action Alliance AA Governorship candidate in 2019, and wondered when Charles Amadi joined APC. The Group said that Nwosu and Okorocha were never in support of Uzodinma’s Governorship and therefore their supporters cannot hold Civic Reception for Uzodinma.
The Group also wondered how Lemmy Akakem could be the Apex Leader of Owerri zone APC when the Deputy Governor, Prof Placid Njoku who hails from Okwu in Ikeduru LGA is there.
“If there is any APC Apex Leader in Owerri zone, that person is the Deputy Governor, Prof Placid Njoku. Apart from that, there are other top APC members from Owerri Zone. We have two former Deputy Governors, Dr Mrs Ada Okwuonu and Prince Eze Madumere. There are former Speakers Godfrey Dikeocha and Kelechi Nwagwu.
So, the issue of Apex Leader of Owerri APC is clear” Trumpeta was told.
Meanwhile, Trumpeta learnt that the fight for Leadership has stalled the Civic Reception being planned for the Governor by Owerri APC until the crisis is resolved.
“There will be a Civic Reception for the Governor by Owerri Zone APC. But it would hosted by the proper Group. This one led by Akakem and Chalvon are not the core APC in Owerri Zone” Trumpeta was told.
