The crisis in the Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a new dimension as the candidates of the party in the state are set for a major showdown with the state chairman, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah and the governorship candidate, Chief Uche Nnaji over camapgn funds.
Sources at the State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting of the party, which held on Wednesday, 25th January 2023 said trouble started when Agballah directed candidates to bear the cost of logistics for the campaign.
“The state chairman briefed us that 2023 campaigns in the stage would hold on the basis of State Constituencies. That is based on the House of Assembly seats. You know there are 24 State Constituencies in Enugu State.
“He gave the various dates and venues for the campaigns, which would begin next week.
“However, trouble started when it was announced that the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial candidates would be responsible for the logistics of the campaign in each of their State Constituencies, while the governorship candidate would be responsible for stipends for the people that would attend.
“But that is the problem, where is the money released for the campaign by our party, particularly a South East governor of APC extraction?”
The party source said majority of the candidates were also angry that the remainder of the alledged sum of N238m given to Agballah and Nnaji to field candidates for all the elective positions in the State was not accounted for.
“Ordinarily, there should never have been trouble in the Enugu APC, but for the decision of a few to shortchange the majority.
“When Dr. Ben Nwoye was there, did we ever have any arguments over money? Did we ever hear about the embezzlement of allowances given to presidential primary delegates? But today, $1.5 million given to delegates at the 2022 APC national convention and presidential primary have ended up in the pockets of two people. But we will ensure that they cough it out.
“Under Nwoye, did we ever hear that nearly N300m was released to buy nominations forms and field candidates for all elective positions and it got embezzled? Did we hear that money released for APC rallies or campaigns got missing? But today, every money that comes to Enugu APC grows wings and flies into two pockets.
“But we won’t allow them to digest it. We will make sure that they cough every bit if it out”, an aggrieved State House of Assembly candidate stated.
