Why I resigned from APC – Former Enugu Chairman, Ben Nwoye

By Stanley Nwanosike

The former Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye, says he resigned from the APC due to unresolvable crisis within the party in the state and other South-East states.

Nwoye, who tendered his resignation to his APC Amurri Ward Chairman, said this in a statement he signed and issued to newsmen in Enugu on Thursday.

According to him, with deep sense of responsibility, I write to inform you that I hereby resign as a member of APC.

“My resignation is as a result of disintegration of the leadership of party in Enugu State.

“The bunch of the Broom which we painstakingly tied together in 2013 at a time when we were called unprintable names has loosened and permanently scattered.

“All efforts made by the party elders to gather the broom and reassemble it has failed. In its current form, further attempts to reassemble the broom in Enugu State is no longer practicable.

“What is left of the broom are two skeletal structures. One of each structures is held by two strong men. One of the strong men claims Chairmanship by judicial pronouncement.

“The other claims chairmanship through arrogant disobedient of the same judicial pronouncement aided by the silent approval of the National Leadership.”

Nwoye, who was Former Secretary Forum of APC State Chairmen, said that the leadership of the party in South-East was fully engaged in vindictive politics.

He said that they were not interested in adding another state to the two states the party controlled in the South-East, adding that to them, the supremacy of the party was measured by how low they could go to oppress their perceived political enemies.

Nwoye said, “These they do, without recourse to the core principles upon which APC stands – Justice, Peace and Unity. To say the least, the Zonal leadership in the South-East has lost direction.

“In the meantime, the National leadership of the Party is basking on the euphoria of power, being the party under which the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the majority of the members of the National Assembly were elected.

“The APC National Leadership has therefore maintained willful blindness. Hence, allowing the warring factions to self-destruct and strangulate the party in Enugu State.

“To worsen the situation, the APC National leadership treats party elders calls for reconciliation with disdain and disrespect. Loyal party members calling for party unity are treated like conquered and captured political warriors.”

Nwoye noted that loyal party members who did not agree with the position of the APC National leadership on the division that existed within the entire party structure in Enugu State had been transformed into prisoners of political war.

He said that they had been placed in political captivity in Enugu State.

“On the basis stated above, I engaged in extensive consultations with my grassroots followers and I have come to the conclusion that it is time to move on.

“I am not a political prisoner. I have never been and I can never be.

“The situation in Enugu State is not an isolated case. For example, in Anambra State, the National Leadership did not care to hear the voice of His Execellency, Sen. Chris Ngige, before awarding the gubernatorial ticket to the highest bidder.

“In Abia State, where are the likes of Dr Ikechi Emenike and Ayim Iyerenye?

“In Ebonyi State, where is the voice of Sen. Julius Ucha and in Imo State where is His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, and Ugwumba Uche Nwosu.

“These are great men who risked it all and made tremendous sacrifices to ensure that APC gained ground in the South-East. Today, their opinions no longer matter,” he added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)