By Adadainfo
Chief Uchenna Nnaji, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Enugu State, is not on the list of the Independent National Election Commission for the 2023 elections, says Dr Ben Nwoye, erstwhile chairman of APC in the state. He added that ‘today is the last day for submission of names of candidates by political parties’.
Nwoye disclosed this in Enugu on Friday during a political programme on Dream FM, which was monitored by our correspondent. Nwoye however denied not being the chairman of the APC in the state, saying ‘the matter is in court’.
Ugo Agballa, according to Nwoye, did not succeed him. He said, “Ugo Agballa is not my successor. The matter is in court. He is not a member of the APC. Somebody brought him and made him the chairman of the party.
“APC is today bleeding because we have someone who lacks knowledge about party politics. This is the chairman who is celebrating the exit of party faithful. Enugu State also has no name published in INEC as APC’s deputy governorship candidate.
“It is only in Enugu State that Bola Tinubu’s supporters are being expelled. Agballa supported Senator Ahmad Lawan during the party’s presidential primaries. They claim to have expelled me because I work for Tinubu. We can’t allow APC to continue bleeding. I am a self-made man.”
Offorma Ken, a journalist, who is the spokesman of Ugo Agballa, however, described Dr Nwoye as ‘a desperate and frustrated politician’.
He said, “Nwoye was suspended in 2021 for various offences. That was before the congresses in 2021. Nwoye refused to accept that he was suspended. Ugo Agballa emerged through the congress in an overwhelming victory. Agballa joined APC in his ward prior to that time.
“Three months ago, the earlier suspension on Dr Nwoye was declared ‘expulsion’, hence Dr Nwoye is an expelled chairman of the APC in the state.”
He said the seven years Dr Nwoye spearheaded APC in the state was disastrous. In his words, “Under Nwoye’s seven years, he never visited any wards in the state. He lost his polling unit at Amuri. He scored zero. In 2019, APC scored 4% in Enugu State.
“They want to create an impression that APC is in crisis in Enugu State. He wants to become the coordinator for the Tinubu-Shetttima presidential campaign. We already have a structure in the South East headed by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma.”
On absence of APC guber candidate on INEC list, Offorma said, “APC conducted primaries and there was no contention. INEC witnessed the emergence of Chief Uchenna Nnaji. That his name is missing on the INEC list is a minor administrative error. It will be corrected.”
Offorma accused Nwoye of defending PDP, claiming he is under the payroll of the PDP in Enugu State.
