By Emeka Chiaghanam
National Leaders Take Reconciliation
Campaign to the Grassroots
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has stepped up efforts
to resolve the prolonged internal crisis rocking its Anambra State chapter,
with the party's national leadership calling on members to put aside their
differences and work together ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party leaders said restoring unity has become essential if
the APC hopes to improve its electoral chances in the state and support
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election bid.
Speaking during a reconciliation meeting held in Awka on
Tuesday, the party's Deputy National Chairman (South), Dr Benjamin Obi Nwoye,
said the APC could no longer afford to remain divided. Addressing party
executives, stakeholders, women leaders, youth representatives, ward officials
and other members, he stressed that the time had come to move beyond
disagreements and focus on rebuilding the party from the grassroots.
According to Nwoye, the meeting represented the next phase
of the reconciliation process that began during a stakeholders' gathering
organised by the party's national leadership in Abuja on July 23. While the
earlier meeting helped reopen communication among leaders from different camps,
he said lasting peace could only be achieved if ordinary party members across
wards, local governments and polling units also embraced the process.
Committee Identifies Main Causes of the
Internal Dispute
He explained that elections are not won in conference rooms
but within communities, villages, churches, markets and polling units where
party members interact directly with voters. For that reason, he said,
reconciliation must extend beyond top officials and become a shared commitment
among every level of the party.
Nwoye said the National Reconciliation Committee had spent
time consulting members from the various factions and had identified several
issues responsible for the prolonged dispute within the state chapter. Among
them, he listed disagreements over party structures, allegations that elected
officials were removed from office, complaints about candidates who reportedly
won party primaries being replaced, court cases filed before exhausting the
party's internal dispute resolution process, and claims that some members were
suspended or expelled without being given a fair hearing.
He noted that these matters affected confidence, justice,
internal democracy and discipline within the APC. He assured members that every
complaint raised during the consultations would be carefully examined in line
with the party's constitution, promising that the committee would remain fair,
transparent and impartial throughout the process.
Nwoye Warns Against Actions That Could
Deepen Divisions
The deputy national chairman also issued a firm warning to
anyone planning to frustrate the reconciliation exercise. He made it clear that
the National Working Committee would not tolerate actions capable of creating
fresh divisions or disrupting the peace initiative.
Nwoye told members that the committee was not interested in
identifying who belonged to which faction but was instead focused on restoring
unity. He warned that anyone who chose violence, intimidation or other
disruptive behaviour would face appropriate disciplinary measures. He also
encouraged aggrieved members to resolve their disputes through the APC's
internal mechanisms instead of relying on lengthy court battles whenever
disagreements arose.
He described peace as one of the party's greatest strengths
rather than a sign of weakness. According to him, only a united APC would be
able to organise effectively, mobilise supporters, strengthen its ward
structures, present credible candidates and compete successfully in future
elections.
Court Decision Raises Fresh Hope for
Lasting Peace
The meeting took on a more upbeat mood when Nwoye displayed
a copy of a Federal High Court ruling granting a stay of execution in favour of
the Senator Emma Anosike-led State Executive Committee. The announcement was
greeted with loud celebrations from many members, who viewed the judgment as a
positive development in the ongoing leadership dispute that has divided the
state chapter for months.
The reconciliation committee, made up of five members, was
set up by the APC's National Working Committee on July 21 after persistent
disagreements over the party's governorship primary election triggered rival
leadership claims, suspensions and several legal disputes. Before arriving in
Awka for the grassroots engagement, members of the committee had also met Enugu
State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, as part of their wider consultations.
Party Leaders Say Unity Is the Only
Path to Electoral Success
Throughout his address, Nwoye repeatedly reminded party
members that unity would determine the APC's future in Anambra. He said no
political organisation could expect success at the polls while remaining deeply
divided. Instead of dwelling on past grievances, he urged leaders to
concentrate on rebuilding the party's structures, strengthening communication
among members and creating an environment where everyone feels included.
He further assured stakeholders that every opinion expressed
during the reconciliation meetings would be documented and forwarded to the
APC's national leadership in Abuja before any final decision is taken. He
expressed confidence that the recommendations would reflect the views of all
parties involved and appealed to members to accept the committee's eventual
decisions in the interest of lasting peace.
Stakeholders Throw Weight Behind Peace
Initiative
Anambra APC Chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, welcomed the
reconciliation effort and reaffirmed the state chapter's commitment to
President Tinubu's second-term ambition. He said the leadership would resume
consultations with aggrieved members in an effort to reunite the party and
ensure that no one willing to work for its success was left behind.
Former state chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, also backed the
peace initiative, saying neither of the rival groups had the strength to win
elections independently. He urged all sides to embrace genuine reconciliation,
arguing that only a united APC could present a serious challenge in future
contests.
Other
national leaders also threw their weight behind the reconciliation effort. The
party's Deputy National Secretary, Abdulkareem Abubakar Kama (SAN), assured
members that the APC remained committed to giving the South-East a stronger
sense of belonging within the party. National Woman Leader, Dr Mary Idele, also
described the peace mission as both timely and necessary, warning that the 2027
election cycle was drawing closer and that the party could no longer afford to
be distracted by internal divisions.
Idele urged members to respect the supremacy of the party,
put the collective interest above personal ambition and work together to
rebuild trust among themselves. The meeting ended with members from the
different factions openly presenting their views, while the reconciliation
committee assured participants that every contribution would be reflected in
its report to the APC's national leadership as part of efforts to achieve a
lasting resolution of the crisis.
Post a Comment