By Baron Ike
Top members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Imo state
Imo APC Stakeholders during the meeting
including the deputy governor, Eze Madumere, Senator Ben Uwajumogu representing Okigwe zone, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, National Organising Secretary of the APC, Osita Izunaso among others have petitioned the National working Committee (NWC) of the party over the crisis rocking the APC in Imo.
They are therefore calling on the John Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC to urgently wade into the disputes before it gets too late.
Governor Rochas Okorocha has hijacked the party structure dispensing elective positions to whoever catches his fancy at the detriment of the party rules.
The Imo APC chieftains were in Abuja on Wednesday to drop their petition and to formally ask the NWC to wade in.
Odigie-Oyegun on Wednesday met with them with a view to resolving disputations in the state chapter.
The stakeholders comprising the Deputy Governor of the State, Eze Madumere, Senator representing Imo North, Ben Uwajumogu, the National Organizing Secretary of the Party, Senator Osita Izunaso, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, some state executives and other stakeholders which met with the leadership at the Party’s National Secretariat submitted a memo to the NWC detailing contentions matters arising in the Imo State chapter, according to a statement from Oyegun’s office. .
Chief Okey Ikoro who spoke on behalf of the Imo APC chieftains called on the Party’s National Leadership to urgently address the disputation to avoid jeopardising the Party’s electoral chances in the state and indeed the South East region ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Odigie-Oyegun said the party leadership would look at the petition with a view to resolving the issues.
Oyegun said: “I thank you for coming jointly. I promise on behalf of the NWC that we will do, one, 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.”
NWC members present at the meeting were the National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni; Deputy National Chairman (North), Lawali Shuaibu; National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi; National Auditor, Chief George Moughalu; National Treasurer, Bala Gwagwarwa; National Vice Chairman (North East) and National Vice Chairman (South East), Emma Eneukwu