Anambra APC disowns Ngige group, backs Uba faction as authentic

The battle for the soul of the All Progressives Congress in Anambra State has moved a notch higher with the decision of the national secretariat of the party reaffirming Hon. Basil Ejidike as Chairman of the state chapter.

Recall that the erstwhile leader of the Anambra State Chapter of the APC and Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, had at a poorly attended state caucus meeting of the party in his Asokoro, Abuja residence on December 11, 2021 called for the dissolution of the State Caretaker Committee led by Ejidike.

“The Meeting calls on the National Caretaker Committee and Extra-Ordinary Convention Committee to implement the above and dissolve the present Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Anambra State chapter and put in place a 7-man Interim Management Committee to manage the affairs of the Party in the state and oversee the conduct of all congresses of the Party in Anambra State, to hold in a fortnight after the New Year,” a communique which emanated from the Ngige meeting had requested.

But in a move which apparently aligns with the position of critical stakeholders from the state, led by Senator Andy Uba, the national headquarters of the APC rather than heed the Minister’s advice, described the activities of his group as those of “dissidents” and went ahead to concretise Ejidike’s position as Anambra State Chairman of the party.

In a letter addressed to the Commissioner, Anambra State Police Command – and copied to Heads of all Security Agencies in Anambra State – dated December 16, 2021 and signed by Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, Secretary, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), the party stated: “In recent times, the National Secretariat of our Party has been inundated with reports of activities of some dissidents and fifth columnists within the fold of our Party in Anambra State.

“Therefore this correspondence becomes imperative, not only to clarify the fact that there is no fractionalization of our Party in Anambra, but also to call on your office to use the resources at their disposal to curtail such nefarious activities and bring the culprits to book.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Hon.(Sir) Basil Ejidike is the State Chairman of APC in Anambra State and has the mandate of the National Secretariat to relate with the security agencies on our behalf on all matters pertaining to his State Chapter.”

The position of the National Secretariat of the party tallies with the outcome of a well attended State Caucus meeting, which not only passed a vote of confidence on Ejidike and his State Caretaker Committee, but also accepted and adopted the Report and Actions taken by his Executive, including the suspension handed down to the former State Secretary, Chukwuma Agufugo, and erstwhile Publicity Secretary, Okelo Madukaife.

The meeting, which was generously attended, comprised former Senators, current and former members of the House of Representatives, current and former Presiding and Principal Officers of the State House of Assembly, 14 out of 17 members of the State Caretaker Committee, a former Minister, current and former zonal and national officers officers of the party, as well as the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the party in the recently held Anambra State gubernatorial election.

Despite the setback occasioned by an unfavourable court ruling on Monday, nullifying the candidature of Senator Uba in last November’s governorship election, the same already being appealed against, the status quo subsists, with Uba remaining the Leader of the Anambra State Caucus of the Party, same having been affirmed by over 85 per cent membership of the Caucus earlier aforementioned.