Onyeama calls for peace in Enugu APC

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has called for a peaceful resolution of the infighting in the Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Onyeama made the call while addressing party faithful during a meeting on Sunday in Enugu.

He said that he was worried that the infighting had divided the party into factions.

It was reported that some chieftains of the party had earlier called for the dissolution of the state executive council of the party.

The minister said that it was worrisome that, for the past five years, chieftains of the party in the state have been working at cross purposes and pitted against one another.

He said that such circumstance had affected the fortunes of the APC in the state.

Onyeama said that he advised a factional chairman of the party, Mr Ben Nwoye, to call the meeting in order to rub minds with the party faithful on how to move the party forward.

The minister, however, said that he was startled to learn that Nwoye was allegedly holding a parallel meeting.

“I earlier made it clear to everyone that there is a red line I should not cross but I have to cross it now, not for personal interest, but for the progress of the party.

“The time has come for us to move forward,” he said.

Onyeama said that it was better for party members to put whatever differences they had behind and harmonise APC.

“The National Working Committee of the party has been dissolved.

“It is better for us to find solutions to our problem instead of the NEC to impose a solution on us.”

Earlier, a former governorship aspirant of the party, Chief Ifeanyi Nwoga, said that the crisis in the party had affected good governance in the state.

Nwoga said that it was time the minister was respected as the leader of the party in the state in order for peace to return.

Also, the Head, Federal Character Commission, South-East zone, Mrs Ginika Tor said that it was sad that the party was still torn by factions.

Tor said that it was disrespectful to the minister that a faction of the party was allegedly holding a separate meeting at the same time.

One of the party leaders in the state, Mr Barth Ugwuoke, blamed the crisis on what he described as ‘lack of internal democracy’.

“Instead of having this problem, Ben Nwoye and Okey Ogbodo, who are the two people laying claim to the chairmanship of the party should go,” Ugwuoke said.

However, the Director-General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, said that the leadership of the party in the state was not in doubt.

Okechukwu, who spoke at another meeting held by a faction of the party in the state, said that Nwoye remained the chairman of the party in the state.

Meanwhile, Nwoye has called on members to close ranks in a bid to improve the fortunes of the party.

Nwoye, who addressed members of the party during a parallel meeting, said that it was time for peace to reign in the party.