The All Progressives Congress (APC) Enugu state chapter party has declared that the former Speaker of the State Assembly, Barr. Eugene Odoh, and other chieftains of the party in Enugu north senatorial zone lack the power to conduct any form of election in the district without the knowledge of the State Caretaker Committee.
The party, however, described as ‘funny and huge joke’ a recent statement credited to the ex- Speaker, that a one time Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Simon Idike, has been elected Enugu north zonal vice chairman of the party.
Reacting to the development at a media briefing in Enugu, State Caretaker Committee chairman of APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye, said he was surprised that the former Speaker could involve himself in such an illegal act as a learned lawyer.
Odoh, and former Nigerian Ambassador to India, Chris Eze, as well as a one time member of House of Representatives, Chief Fidel Ayogu, had Sunday announced that former Health Commissioner in the state, Dr. Idike, has been elected Enugu north zonal vice chairman of the party.
Nwoye, disclosed that the Enugu north zonal office became vacant in 2020, after the former chairman was removed from office on allegation of dereliction of duty, adding that the zonal secretary became Igwe of his community, while the publicity secretary left the party.
He equally dismissed Odoh’s claim of marginalisation of Enugu north senatorial district by the party, saying the zone remains among the highest beneficiaries of APC in the state, especially interns of political appointments and other party patronages, “these verifiable facts.
“The fact remains that neither Hon. Eugene Odoh, the former Speaker of Enugu state House of Assembly, or any other person who attended the event they described in his statement as a Retreat, where he made the announcement, has the power or Authority to conduct any form of election, because we are operating under a Caretaker Committee arrangement.
“Leaders of the party within that zone knows the right thing they should have done, which is to meet, discussed and agree on whom to recommend for appointment as the APC Zonal Vice Chairman for North, and not engaging in a hoax venture, which never existed
“Under a Caretaker Committee arrangement, your don’t conduct election, no matter how highly placed you may be, including your status, positions you may have held or still holding.
The Chairman, added that he remains the only party officer in the state who has the authority to appoint someone as a caretaker committee leader at any level in the state, based on the powers vested on him by the National Caretaker Committee chairman of the party
“Those people who gathered at the retreat should have known that APC as a political party operates within the ambit of the law, and we have rules and regulations guiding the party, Nwoye stated.
