Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and members of the national panel of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have commended the state chapter for conducting what they described as a peaceful local government congress across the state on Saturday.
Mbah said the smooth conduct of the exercise reflected the party’s strength and internal cohesion in Enugu.
However, indications emerged that the process may not have been as seamless as portrayed, following allegations by some longstanding members that the congress was hijacked by powerful stakeholders, effectively sidelining them.
The aggrieved members alleged that the outcome of the congress did not reflect the 60–40 power-sharing formula earlier directed by the governor among political blocs that recently aligned.
Under the arrangement, 26 ward executive positions were to be shared, with 17 allocated to defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the old APC bloc and Labour Party (LP) defectors were to share the remaining nine.
At the local government level, out of 28 executive committee positions, PDP members were to occupy 17, leaving 11 for the old APC and LP members.
However, several members claimed the directive was flouted in most local government areas (LGAs), alleging that PDP members not only retained principal offices but also took additional positions meant for other blocs.
In LGAs such as Enugu South, Oji River and Igbo-Eze North, it was alleged that PDP members exceeded the agreed 17 slots by taking seven extra positions originally allocated to old APC and LP members.
An aggrieved member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the development as “deeply disappointing.”
“Only four of our members were chosen while PDP took over all the other positions. You can imagine that I was once the APC chairman in my LGA, yet they only gave me an ex-officio role. This is sad,” he said.
Another member from Enugu West Senatorial District alleged that his group received only three of the 11 positions allocated to them.
“This is not fair at all. Is this how we are going to work as a team? I am highly disappointed that this is happening,” he said.
Further complaints centred on the alleged retention of all principal offices by PDP members, leaving assistant and less influential roles to old APC and LP members.
