Ex-Enugu APC chair announces resignation from party

The former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye, has announced his resignation from the party, citing internal conflicts and the disintegration of its leadership.

Nwoye made the announcement on Thursday, expressing deep frustration over the collapse of party unity and the failure of reconciliation efforts.

“The bunch of ‘Broom’ which we painstakingly tied together in 2013… has loosened and permanently scattered,” he lamented.

In a resignation letter addressed to the Chairman of APC Amurri Ward, Nkanu West Local Government Area, Nwoye said the party’s leadership in the South East has become consumed by “vindictive politics” and has abandoned its founding principles of justice, peace and unity.

He wrote, “What is left of the ‘Broom’ are two skeletal structures. One of these structures is held by two strong men. One… claims chairmanship by judicial pronouncement, while the other claims chairmanship through arrogant disobedience of the same judicial pronouncement, aided by the silent approval of the national leadership.”

Nwoye criticised the national leadership for turning a blind eye to the party’s growing internal crisis.

“The APC national leadership has therefore maintained wilful blindness, thereby allowing the warring factions to self-destruct and strangle the party in Enugu State,” he said.

He accused the leadership of disrespecting party elders who have pushed for reconciliation. “To worsen the situation, the APC national leadership treats party elders’ calls for reconciliation with disdain and disrespect. Loyal party members calling for party unity are treated like conquered and captured political warriors,” he stated.

According to Nwoye, loyal members who disagree with the leadership’s stance have been turned into “prisoners of political war” and placed in “political captivity.”

After what he described as extensive consultations with his grassroots supporters, Nwoye said he had no choice but to leave the party.

“On the basis stated above, I engaged in extensive consultations with my grassroots followers and I have come to the conclusion that it is time to move on,” he declared. “So, it is time to move on and discover a new frontier.”