The Enugu State chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Barr. Ben Nwoye, Wednesday, told foreign affairs minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama to undergo political tutelage from Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
This came as Nwoye extended a hand of fellowship to the minister and other aggrieved members of the party in the State.
DAILY POST reports that Onyeama has been severally accused by the Chairman of sponsoring a faction of the party being led by some suspended members of the State Working Committee, SWC, members of the Party.
However, speaking to journalists at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, upon his arrival after the just concluded APC NEC meeting in Abuja, Nwoye said it was time for the members to unite and ensure victory for the party in Enugu State, in 2019.
He noted that Enugu could not continue to remain in the opposition, as it was not in the general interest of the people.
He said, “it is not about Ben Nwoye, it is about the state; no matter you look at it; it is about the State. Anyone saying that Enugu should remain in opposition politics doesn’t understand the national politics; and doesn’t understand even the State politics.
“We have been in opposition now getting to four years; we have to look at the location of federal projects, how many have we been able to attract? You have to look at the appointment; that’s why someone who was unknown to the terrain was appointed a minister; a sitting governor should contribute in the appointment of minister, federal boards and parastatals; these are the bulk, but Enugu State will not get their fair share.
“This is a foremost State, this is the image of Igbo land, so we don’t have what it takes to operate as opposition; only those who fail to understand the import, they look at it from the angle of PDP and APC, and those are those who are having jobs and they felt threatened that if APC takes over Enugu State, their life or livelihood will be in jeopardy.
“But the truth is more will be done. The school feeding programme, Enugu was picked as one of the pilot states, they will enjoy more of those kind of programmes; the farming programme, the health programme; the N-Power, the social initiative, Enugu State will enjoy it better, as a ruling party, at the centre and not to become the big fish in a small pond.
“Enugu State has always been a big fish in a big pond, grabbing its own share of the national cake, now we are missing out and 2019 that will be corrected.”
Nwoye equally dismissed the reported rift between APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu, stressing that it was a creation of the media.
“It is imagination of the press; it’s like people that are saying that Enugu APC has crisis; there is never crisis in Enugu APC; there are differences of opinion.
“But we are extending the olive branch to the minister of foreign affairs, and all those who are going about establishing different structures; they don’t understand the politics of Enugu State. He admitted that he is a technocrat, people went to him with false information and he started funding opposition; he has failed.
“Of course in victory, we have to be humble; he has failed. So, you can’t run around and support a renegade group who attacked the office of the State chairman, the office of the state executive, in a bid to take over by force, you can’t remain in a disgraceful faction and then you are walking for the government they helped to elect.
“So, the onus is on him, in order for the APC to take over this state, to come back and fund our party. He is holding the highest office, he is the highest paid political office holder, and he can’t be enjoying those things in Abuja forgetting that there those who worked and made it possible for President Buhari to win election, which led to his appointment.
In all, as the highest political office holder, the responsibility is actually more on him, to ensure that we change Enugu State from PDP to APC.
“He should call Nyesom Wike and call K.K Kubani of Rivers State and ask what they did with their position in Rivers State.
“When Gov. Nyesom Wike was minister of state for education, he used his position to fund the PDP opposition in Rivers State and when he wanted to run for governor, he ensured that Hon. K.K Kubani became the minister of state for trade and he used that position to help fund the PDP, mainstream opposition then. The result is that the PDP won in Rivers State; they were able to beat APC in Rivers State.
“So, instead of the honourable minister and his supporters, Juliet Ibekaku going about prompting up falsehood, allegations of criminal level against my person to impugn my integrity, they should concentrate their effort in building the party.
“Whatever they have done to me, I have forgiven everybody, I have no qualms with the honourable minister.
“He was misled but it is time for him to come home and become part of the system so that we can help remove PDP from Enugu State and help to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari. What is at stake now is more than his personality.”
The Party chairman equally used the opportunity to clarify that extension of tenure as approved by the NEC did affect only the members of the National Working Committee, NWC, but all officials of the Party from the ward level to the highest level.
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