The National leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC), Tuesday, upheld the leadership of the embattled Caretaker Chairman of the party in Anambra State, Hon. Basil Ejidike.
The party, in a letter dated December 16 addressed to the State Commissioner of Police, signed by Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe, the Secretary, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), also dismissed the factional leadership of the party as dissidents.
Ejidike, who is an ally to the governorship candidate of APC on November 6 Anambra poll, Senator Andy Uba, is serving a suspension handed over to him by a faction of the party loyal to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.
The two on December 11 held parallel stakeholders meetings at different locations at Abuja whereby the group loyal to Ngige urged the National leadership to dissolve Ejidike led executive and put in place a 7-man Interim Management Committee to manage affairs of the party and oversee the conduct of their congresses in Anambra State scheduled to hold in a fortnight after the New Year.
But Akpanudoedehe, in a letter obtained by Blueprint, 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.”
Reacting to the position of the National Leadership of APC, the Director, Media and Publicity, Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation (SAUGCO), Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, said it tallied 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.
“Despite the setback occasioned by an unfavourable court yesterday, nullifying the candidature of Senator Uba in last November’s governorship election – the same already being appealed against – the status quo subsists, with Senator Uba remaining the Leader of the Anambra State Caucus of the Party – same having been affirmed by over 85 percent membership of the Caucus earlier aforementioned.”
