Southeast stakeholders of Nigeria’s governing party, the All Progressives Congress, APC have endorsed the retention of national executives representing the zone ahead of the party’s forthcoming elective National Convention.
Former Governor of Abia state and a chieftain of the APC, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, stated this while speaking to journalists after the meeting of the APC Southeast stakeholders in Abuja.
He noted that even though few people may be unsatisfied with the decision, 93 per cent APC stakeholders from the zone agreed to it.
He added that those that may be aggrieved by the decision would be reconciled.
“We had a very successful fruitful meeting and have decided to endorse by affirmation from all the states, the return, through democratic means of the three members of the national officers, they include: the National Organising Secretary, Sen. Osita Izunaso, the National Vice Chairman, Emma Enukwu and the National Auditor, Chief George Moghalu.”
“We have equally secured the support of the National Convention Committee Chairman who is also the Governor of Jigawa state.”
“We have told him that they are our candidates and we did it through democratic arrangements,” Kalu said.
The former Governor also spoke on the crisis rocking the party in the South-East, saying that there will always be misunderstanding in every democratic setting but said that the crisis would be resolved.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Imo state Dr. Rochas Okorocha who was represented by Mr Raphael Igbokwe, Speaker of Imo state House of Assembly said that the positions zoned to the South-East would be contested.
He further urged the chairman of the APC national convention planning committee to allow a level playing ground for the contest of the position of National Organising Secretary which has been zoned to Imo state.
According to him, Emma Ibejiro has been pencilled down to contest the position of the National Organising Secretary at the convention.
The meeting, which was tagged: South-East Executive Committee Meeting: Towards 2018 National Convention: had in attendance the APC National Organising Secretary, Sen. Osita Izunaso, former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, and former Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime.
Also in attendance, were former Governor of Ebonyi State, Martins Elechi, former Senate President, Sen. Ken Nnamani, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, Ben Uwajimogu and Andy Uba.
Others were Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Sen. Jim Nwobodo, Sen. Uche Ekwnuife, Sen. Nkechi Nwogu, and APC National Auditor, Chief Gerge Moghalu.
The meeting was also attended by the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, and APC National Vice Chairman South-East, Emma Enukwu amongst others.
The APC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Emma Enukwu who chaired the meeting stated that its attendance was based on the party’s Constitution.