Stakeholders in the Imo Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday stormed the party’s national secretariat, asking the National Working Committee (NWC) to immediately take actions to prevent Governor Rochas Okorocha from ruining the chances of the party in the 2019 elections.
The stakeholders comprising of the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Mr. Eze Madumere, Senator representing Imo North, Ben Uwajumogu, the National Organizing Secretary of the Party, Senator Osita Izunaso and Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, some state executives met with the NWC, led by the Party’s National Chairman, Mr. John Odigie-Oyegun.
The group submitted a memo to the NWC detailing contentious matters in the Imo State chapter.
The decision of the Imo State governor to support his son-in-law and Chief of Staff, Mr. Uche Nwosu to succeed him has caused a major rift in the Imo APC.
Speaking on behalf of the Imo APC stakeholders, Mr. Okey Ikoro called on the party’s leadership to urgently resolve the crisis in the state chapter, to avoid jeopardising the party’s electoral chances in the state and the South East zone ahead of the 2019 general elections.
In response, Oyegun said the party leadership would look at the petition with a view to resolving the issues raised by the group.
“I thank you for coming jointly. I promise on behalf of the NWC that we will one, do all we can to maintain level playing ground. Two, pursue avenues for a reconciliation of the various groups and tendencies in Imo state. And I want to also urge on your part that you should be ready for peace, you should be ready for compromise. At the end of the day, it is the vote that counts whether inside the party, or when finally a general election comes.
“You are the stakeholders, you are the bulk, the strength, the muscle of the party in Imo state. Well, it is time to prove it in the next few days and in the next few weeks.
“Imo must lead the charge in the entire South East. So, it is a painful thing to see that we are divided but I am happy that in your speech you have opened doors of unity. I want to assure you that we on our side will do everything possible to take up your complaints, your reservations so that an acceptable compromise can be reached that will make it possible for us to fight as one party. I am not unaware of the issues. I am certainly not unaware. I am a Nigerian. As party national chairman, all of these issues come to my table. There has to be unity but there cannot be unity without justice. So there must be justice”, the APC National Chairman said.
NWC members present at the meeting were the National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni; Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawali Shuaibu; National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi; National Auditor, Mr. George Moughalu; National Treasurer, Mr. Bala Gwagwarwa; National Vice Chairman (North East) and National Vice Chairman (South East), Mr. Emma Eneukwu
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