One of the major reasons why former President Olusegun
Obasanjo distanced himself from the Peoples Democratic Party was that it made
Senator Buruji Kashamu its National Vice Chairman, South-West. Kashamu is
believed to be a fugitive wanted for drug peddling and other criminal offences overseas.
In Enugu State, something close to it is in the offing.
A lawyer friend said something that kept me thinking.
Rhetorically, he asked: where is the opposition in Enugu State? Is it the APC
where that ex-lawyer is chairing? Is he not on the payroll of the incumbent
governor? Is it the same Party that has a joker as permanent governorship
candidate-Ideke? When I asked who he was referring to as ex-lawyer, he
retorted- Ben Nwoye of course. “He was debarred in the U.S. He is a wanted man,
a fugitive.” Thereafter, I began my
investigations and realized that the situation is actually of a greater
magnitude.
From one controversy to another, the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in Enugu State appears to be at crossroads. The situation gets
from bad to worse daily, with no end in sight, as the national leadership
appears not interested.
From one financial scandal to another; from allegations and
counter allegations of misappropriation of funds, to issues of credibility and
criminal records against the leadership of the Party in the state, especially,
the Chairman, Ben Nwoye and the Governorship candidate in the 2015 elections,
Okey Ezea (Ideke).
The entire controversy appears to be centered on the duo of
Ben Nwoye and Okey Ezea, whose continued stay as leaders of the party has further
reduced its acceptance level, considering what many see as their ‘dirty’
records. The call for change in leadership really did not start today, but what
have the authorities done, or is it about having long legs?
In a letter dated 29th April, 2015, a
stakeholder-organisation, the Enugu APC Integrity Group petitioned the then
President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, raising issues, ranging from misappropriation
of funds to betrayal of trust and other integrity issues.
The 15-point petition, signed by the group’s Coordinator,
Kingsley Eze and Secretary, Victoria Ani, also made a 5-point recommendation to
the President.
The Petition reads in part:
“We have observed with total dismay, the indescribable and
irresponsible manner in which the leadership of the All Progressives Congress
in the state has been piloting the affairs of the party, a situation that was
responsible for the abysmal performance of the party’s candidates in the state
during the last general elections. Permit us to say that the Party is
unfortunate to have Chief Okey Ezea and his partner in crime, Mr. Ben Nwoye as
leaders in the state, as they have become sources of embarrassment to the Party.
They have neither shown any credible leadership nor shown any transparency in
their conduct as leaders.”
“We are also worried that Ben Nwoye’s record in the United
States of America, where he lived and practiced will soon be a source of
embarrassment to the Party in the State and beyond. For instance, as a lawyer
in the United States, he was barred for corruption, indiscipline and immoral
conducts….Is this the kind of Minister you would have in your cabinet or the
kind of Chairman, Enugu APC will continue to have? Opposition parties’ members
are watching and we must not allow the Party to be an object of caricature. A
visit to the link below could be a guide: (M.R.25750):http//www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Announce/2013/031513.pdf.”
Similarly, in a two-page Petition dated 17th
February, 2015, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Committee, Osita
Okechukwu sent a ‘Save our Soul’ message to the National Chairman of the Party,
alleging that the party’s leadership and candidates for elections in Enugu were
formed via consensus.
“However, immediately funds trickled in, the Chairman and
some stakeholders formed a clique; that today, the chairman, in cohorts with
the governorship candidate, is working at cross purposes with the secretary,
deputy chairman, two vice chairmen, women leader and a host of state and local
party officials who are silently grumbling.”
“…the unfortunate outcome is low morale of members resulting
from less than transparent management of funds.”
“As of date, only N2.5m has been given to the Presidential
Campaign Committee, of which all stakeholders are members, out of N150m which
came from national coffers; making the committee incapacitated to even place
posters or jingles when our vice presidential candidate visited on Monday, 16th
February, 2015. In fact, it was the national that paid for local press.”
In another development, a letter dated 24th
November, 2015, addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Engr. Babachir Lawal, complained over nomination for appointments into boards
and parastatals of the Federal Government and the highhandedness of the
Chairman.
The Petition, signed by the Deputy Chairman of the Party in
the State, Comrade A.C. Ude, Deputy Governorship candidate in the 2015
election, Barrister Juliet Ibekaku, State Secretary, General Chris Eze (Rtd),
State women leader, Lolo Queen Nwankwo, Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Kate Offor
and five others, accused the state chairman of nepotism and disobedience to the
guidelines for such nominations, as prescribed by the national leadership of
the Party.
“Pursuant to the guidelines of our great party of October 26th
2015, wherein you requested nominees from Enugu State for appointment into
Federal Boards and Parastatals, kindly note that contrary to your guidelines,
our state chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye flouted all the guidelines, didn’t in spite
of advice from Stakeholders, hold any State Executive Committee, State working
Committee or Stakeholders meeting for the purposes of the nominations.”
“Sir, our understanding of the intendment of the guidelines is
that 50 names are large enough for our imperial chairman to convene an open and
transparent compilation meeting, so that we can reward those who worked hard
for the party. Unfortunately, rather than rewarding hard work, our Party
chairman and the South East zonal Chairman, Chief Emma Eneukwu secretly
compiled a skewed crony list. The outcome is a list made up of those who
sabotaged our great party, those who embezzled campaign funds and non-members
of our great party.”
The petition also accused them of deliberately excluding members
of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and President Buhari’s
Presidential Campaign Organisation, Enugu State chapter.
More so, on the 6th of January, 2016, the Enugu
State Deputy Chairman of the APC, A.C. Ude petitioned the Honourable Minister
of Foreign Affairs, itemizing massive diversion of funds by the Ben Nwoye-led
Administration. The issues; Mr. Nwoye, who is also accused of anti-party
activities has refused to address, till date.
Investigations revealed that Mr. Nwoye was indeed, disbarred
by the Illinois Supreme Court, Chicago, United States in 2013. Ideally, by that
decision, which was not challenged, he remains debarred and may not have been
qualified ab initio to head the Party at any level.
Again, there is nothing to suggest that the funds that have
entered the coffers of the Party in the state under his administration were
judiciously used. No financial records are available anywhere. Funds were not
available for the members to work during the elections, but monies were
released to the State, where are all the monies?
In addition, the same party members that practically killed a
lion with bare hands are about being denied their reward for hard work. Haba!
Monkey dey work, Baboon dey chop!
Meanwhile, there is no evidence to suggest that Federal Board
membership slots were sold, as alleged. However, the list of 50 persons from
Enugu State for appointment into Federal Boards submitted by Ben Nwoye contained
names of persons who are known members of the Peoples Democratic Party and
relatives of Ben Nwoye. For instance, Senator Fidelis Okoro was until recently,
a member of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, courtesy
of the PDP.
Not even the Deputy Governorship candidate of the Party in
the 2015 polls, Barrister Juliet Ibekaku, whose entry into the race enhanced the
fortunes of the Party in the state, was considered for a Board appointment. In
fact, she was the face of the party during the polls. Senatorial candidates,
House of Representatives candidates, Local Government chairmen and other
important stakeholders were all left out. Friends and relatives of the
leadership, who were not part of the party’s activities all the while, had
their names listed. This is most unfair!
But, what has the national leadership of the party done in
the midst of all these anomalies, especially, as the Party in the state is at
the verge of collapse? Members are beginning to see the APC family in the state
as synonymous with injustice, while others accuse it of condoning fraud.
The least, one expects from the Party’s national leadership
and indeed, the President is to direct the party’s leadership in the State to
step aside, set up an independent committee to investigate all the issues
raised and submit a detailed report within a specified time.
First, there is need for an audit of all the funds received
by the Party towards the 2015 general elections and how they were expended.
Also, the list submitted for consideration for appointment
into Federal Boards and parastatals should be screened/reviewed, to ensure that
justice is done to all stakeholders.
In practical terms, it is a case of the Chairman and
gubernatorial candidate on one minority side and other members of the state
Executive Committee, stakeholders and majority of other party members on the
other side. It is no doubt, a case of declaration of no confidence.
Given the obvious loss of confidence in the present
leadership of the party in the state, coupled with the several allegations of
misappropriation of funds, criminal indictment and several other issues
inimical to the party’s stability and growth, it only makes sense to dissolve
the party’s entire leadership structure, conduct fresh Congresses to allow a
new set of State, Local Government and Ward executives emerge.
Until this is done, the Party will remain a subject of
caricature in the state and beyond; or is anyone trading with the PDP in the
State to keep the party perpetually immobile?
Everyone can’t be wrong at the same time. Even at that,
democracy is tyranny of the majority. Let the majority have their way! The
Party is bigger than any single individual or clique, no matter how connected
or highly placed.
Let credible and transparent leadership be entrenched in
Enugu APC!
*Destiny Ugorji
contributed this piece from Abuja.
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