Enugu APC boils as governorship candidate allegedly embezzles N1.3 billion

As the All Progressives Congress, APC, faces general election next month, the Enugu State Chapter of the party is boiling over alleged fraud of over N1.3 billion involving the governorship candidate, Uche Nnaji and the State Chairman of the party, Ugochukwu Agballah.

The fraud allegation sparked protest by the aggrieved members stormed the National Secretariat in Abuja to seek intervention of the National officers before things turned out the other way in Enugu State.
Leading the protest to Abuja, Comrade Adolphus Ude who is the Chairman of Concerned members of Enugu State APC said they were in Abuja to express their concerns, saying that they need an urgent intervention to restore normalcy to the party.

Comrade who doubles as Chairman of the Mainstream APC and pioneer deputy Chairman claimed that there had been “impunity, gross misconducts, fraudulent administration, embezzlement of party funds, and impunity being perpetrated by the state chairman and the governorship candidate”, a development he said was impeding activities of the party.

The State Chairman and the governorship candidate, Ude said, have misappropriated the sum of N283 million generated from the expression of interest and nomination forms, noting that the party fields candidates for the governorship, and all the National Assembly and State Assembly seats in Enugu State to shore our fortunes and also ensure that the party secures at least 25% of votes cast in the 2023 presidential election in the State.

According to Ude, the duo further allegedly defrauded the party of about $1.5 million (N1.050 billion) being allowances for Enugu State delegates in the 2022 national convention and presidential election, even as the situation was causing bitterness and anger among the party members till now.

Speaking on the unhealthy development in the party, Ude recalled the irregular and controversial emergence of the new state executive, which are also before the courts, saying that the national Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, was already aware having tried to intervene when he was the chairman of the APC Reconciliation Committee.

He said: “Our notable party leaders in the state were also on a protest visit to the national leadership in August 2022 where they submitted a petition calling for the removal of Ugochukwu Agballah as the State party chairman and appointment of a Caretaker Chairman to save the state chapter of the party from destruction and disgrace. The signatories and delegation included; Mr. Geofrey Onyeama, Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sullivan Chime, former Governor of Enugu State; Barr. Eugene Odo, former Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly; Ambassador Christian Ugwu, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Poland, among many others.

“Although the chairman promised to look into the issues, we can understand that pressing party matters such as the national convention and presidential primary, overseeing the various primary elections and the party’s preparations for the 2023 general election, which he had to undertake immediately after his election as the national chairman must have preoccupied him.

“Unfortunately, all the issues we forewarned against and more are happening in the Enugu State chapter of the party and we believe that unless urgent and drastic steps are taken, the party faces a disastrous and scandalous outing in the state in the forthcoming general election.

“There is also the issue of hijack of the funds provided for preparation for the forthcoming 11th January 2023 presidential rally in Enugu and visit by our presidential candidate, Awiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

“Although serious damage has already been done to the party by the duo of Agballah and Nnaji, who in the real sense are not interested in the wellbeing and victory of the APC, but only in making brisk business at the expense of our party, we believe that the national leadership of the party; our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu; his running mate, Kashim Shettima will intervene.