The approval of the alleged suspension of top party officials in the Southeast has been referred to as a smokescreen by Dr Ben Nwoye, the immediate past chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Enugu State.
Recall that the alleged suspension of former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, Nwoye, and other APC Southeast leadership members was announced.
Among others for alleged anti-party activities are the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Oji Uzo Kalu, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, and the former Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Eugene Odoh.
When responding to the suspension announcement, Nwoye, a Federal Commissioner who represents Southeast in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), insisted that the Southeast leadership of the party, led by Dr Ijeomah Aridiogu, was attempting to hide their anti-party activities during the 2023 general elections by claiming approval of what he called non-existent suspensions.
He said that during the presidential and governorship elections, Aridiogu and Barrister Ugochukwu Agballa of the APC in Enugu actively supported the Labour Party in the South East Zone, adding that they were responsible for the significant gains made by the Labour Party in the Southeast.
“First and foremost there was no suspension but rather what you saw was that one of the leaders of the party in the Southeast gathered the chairmen of Enugu, Abia and others to announce the purported ratification.
“The publication was sponsored by the said APC leader in the zone who helped in ensuring that the Labour Party succeeds in taking over Enugu and Abia State and worked against our presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kasshim Shetimma
“What they did was a smokescreen; it was an attempt to cover their anti-party activities. He gathered to announce that those of us who are true progressives in Southeast have been suspended. They worked against Tinubu and when they saw that he has won, they were unhappy. Ratification of suspension as they pronounced is unknown to APC constitution."
