‘There is no leadership crisis in Ndigbo APC’

By Joseph Eshanokpe

 

The Coordinator, Ndigbo in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State, Eze Uche Dimgba, has denied that there is rancour within the caucus. He said Joe Igbokwe remained the apex leader of Ndigbo in APC, Lagos State and that any changes without his nod would remain null and void.

A statement by its spokesman, Anyanwu Emeka Osukwu, said the caucus would continue to excel under the leadership of Eze Dimgba. He added that there was no vacant position in Ndigbo in APC to warrant any election and that Dimgba remains the coordinator of the group.

The statement stated that what took place at Eze Nwachukwu’s place was akin to a failed coup. He accused one Anslem Njoku of not being a bonafide member of the group. Osukwu said: “Njoku feeds from cheap propaganda and peddling of lies to innocent party leaders.’’

The spokesman added that Njoku was a Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) member. He said Njoku and his cohorts were not in the party in 2015 when Eze Dimgba was campaigning for the APC at the Onikan Stadium. His words: “Njoku was said to be with PDP at the National Stadium, Surulere campaigning against the APC.”

He said Ndigbo in APC Lagos State has 11 Board of Trustees (BoT) members and that four of them have no power to hold a congress without the consent of the others, particularly the apex leader Igbokwe.

He explains: “There are no leadership changes in Ndigbo in APC Lagos State. What transpired at Eze Nwachukwu’s place a week ago is unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect to the position of the state executive coordinator’s seat. There is no law or agreement that the said traditional rulers should not participate in politics and political activities, more so, the allegation or thinking that Dimgba is not qualified to head Ndigbo in APC because he was a traditional ruler is baseless and a mere propaganda from mischief-makers.

“For the purpose of clarifications, Dimgba is not ‘His Royal Highness’; there is no royalty whatsoever attached to him and equally, there was no staff of office from any state or local government in Nigeria neither did he receive a document from any government establishments in Lagos State to prove he was an Eze. This has exonerated Dimgba from all manner of allegations and proved that he is eligible to be the Executive Coordinator Ndigbo in APC Lagos State.”