7th January, 2014
There is schism among members of the All Progressives Congress in Anambra State, eastern Nigeria, as the newly sworn-in interim committee suspended two key members of the party for anti-party activities.
Suspended are Senator Annie Okonkwo, a deputy national chairman of the party for the South and Mr Chuks Chinwuba, said to be the head of a faction of the party.
Okonkwo’s offence appears to be his press statement that the APC would take part in the local council polls scheduled for 11 January.
But Sen. Chris Ngige, the party’s governorship candidate in the 16 November governorship election criticised Okonkwo for the statement. Rather, Ngige said the APC has challenged the legality of the election and has ordered a boycott should the state go ahead with it.
Ngige explained that the APC would boycott the poll because three contradictory voters registers exist in the state, describing the registers as flawed.
“There are three varying voter registers in the state and none of them has been displayed for the poll.If organisers of the election like they can go on with the poll, we shall void it in the court,” Ngige said.
Ngige said that other political parties “that were hitherto sitting on the fence’’ had also decided to back out of the council election.
“They have realised that due to the faulty voter register and other serious matters they should stay away from the poll,” he added.
But moments after the 27-member interim executive committee of the party was inaugurated, it announced the suspension of Okonkwo and Chinwuba for alleged anti-party activities.
A communiqué issued at the end of the maiden meeting of the committee, said a three member panel had been constituted to look at the charges against the duo.
The communiqué was read by Chief Amaechi Obidike, interim chairman of the committee.
“We have found their conduct to be reprehensible and embarrassing and have put the party in contempt, public ridicule and disrepute.
“The anti-party activities have continued with their unguarded and unauthorised utterances about the proposed Anambra local government election.
“Their utterances are sowing a seed of discord and hatred among party members,” the communiqué said.