Ministerial slots: Anambra APC stiffens move to snub non-members

Anambra State’s All Progressives Congress, APC, is lobbying hard in Abuja, the nation’s capital and the seat of power over the appointment of ministers into President Bola Tinubu’s government, to ensure that only hardworking and card-carrying members of the party are given appointments.

According to reports from Infostride News, the decision was made because of negative interactions the party has had in the past with federal government employees during President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure.

An unnamed party insider said, “The former minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige is an example of how the party has suffered in the hands of some people.”

He was appointed to his position as minister on the APC’s platform, but despite being viewed as the party’s leader in the state, he did nothing to further the APC after taking office.

“As a minister, he ruined the party both times we ran for governor, in 2017 with Tony Nwoye and again in 2021 with Andy Uba.

Since Ngige was appointed by the federal government and was compensated for his position, he should have donated to the state party, but he never did. He was meant to be making connections for young party men, but all he ever seemed to help were those from his own Alor neighbourhood.

The APC’s decision to support Andy Uba for governor in 2021 has sparked an internal power struggle inside the party, with Uba rising to prominence at the expense of Ngige, the state’s minister and the party’s highest ranking officer.

Infostride News has also learned that, without financial support, the party is struggling to survive.

This was confirmed at a meeting of State chapter stakeholders on Saturday.

The meeting, which included only a few key party members, was called to address pressing concerns.

Stakeholders agreed that appointments will be made from among existing party members in the state.

The party decided that in order to prevent outsiders from receiving appointments, it was necessary to submit the names of 50 well-known members from each of the state’s 21 local government regions to the federal government.

It was decided at the meeting that the two ministers anticipated from Anambra, as well as the heads of agencies and parastatals, and the heads and membership of boards of organisations, will be selected from the list.

The meeting was presided over by the party’s state chairman, Mr. Basil Ejidike, who warned that things would not continue as usual under Tinubu’s leadership.

He declared that state party members no longer needed to relocate to Abuja in order to purchase appointments from higher-ups.

He praised Tinubu as a superb party man and politician who will help party members in the state reap the benefits of their dedication over the years.

The President of Anambra State, Bola Tinubu, is a politician and a key member of the APC, he added. Under President Tinubu, we believe our hard work in the party will pay off.

Ejidike established three committees, one of which is a financial committee, to devise means by which the party might obtain cash to carry out its operations.

Finance, eminent, and disciplinary committees have been established.

A disciplinary commission is necessary to clean up our party,” Ejidike remarked. The eminent committee and the finance committee will also be launched today.

In the absence of electoral success, our political party would be reduced to the status of an unimportant social club. Our party is supported financially by those of our members who are elected to public office. The party’s funding will be sourced through a meeting of the finance committee.

The party named prominent members to the finance committee, including Engr Azuka Okwuosa as chairman and Amb Elijah Onyeagba as secretary.

According to a party insider, the committee will keep tabs on who gets nominated for positions in Tinubu’s administration and would now need monthly dues to be paid back to the party.

Chief Basil Ejidike, the state chairman, told the media that his executive has been working nonstop to ensure party unity, including meeting with all of the party’s governorship hopefuls in the most recent election for governor of Anambra State to discuss methods to bring everyone together.

He claimed to have heard nothing but praise.

We have worked through all the issues, and now all there is to do is go forward; anyone holding grudges is not telling the truth to themselves.

People who migrated to Abuja, bought cabinet jobs for themselves, and then abandoned the party in the state where they had originally been active are no longer welcome. It is our goal to ensure that only members of the Anambra APC are given appointments,” he continued.