Politics
Ugo Agballa a tool to destroy Enugu APC – Ex-Gov Orji alleges
Ex-military Governor of Gombe State, Group Capt. Joe Orji (Rtd.) has reacted to his reported expulsion from the All Progressives Congress, APC, by the Enugu State chapter of the party.
Ugo Agballa-led APC in Enugu State, last week, announced the expulsion of the former governor, among other members.
But in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, Orji said Agballa was “merely perfecting the clandestine assignment he entered with the opposition PDP against the APC, which is targeted at ensuring that the APC is further disintegrated and unable to win any election in the State come 2023.”
He alleged that Agballa was not yet a member of the APC and lacked the locus to expel any member.
To justify his claims, he said, “You will recall that the said Agballah approached the party secretariat in Enugu State sometime in end of July 2021, four (4) months after the close of the membership registration of the party, indicating his interest in becoming a member of the party.
“You will also recall that the then Party Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye categorically reminded Chief Agballah that the party has closed its membership registration and that he can only become a full member of the party when the ban on registration is further lifted in line with the APC Constitution.
“Consequently, Chief Agballah informed the teeming members of the party at the said State Secretariat that he would be going to his ward to register with the party when the said restriction on membership registration is lifted.
“It was shocking to all when the said Agballah procured a forged party membership registration slip purporting to have registered in the party in February, 2021. The Police is presently investigating the case of forgery against Chief Agballah.
“It became a shocker how the said Agballah, who is not a registered member of the party, with the aid of some enemies of the party, declared himself as Enugu State Chairman of the APC at a purported State Congress held at an unrecognized venue.”
He added that “the APC is guided by a constitution and which every member is bound to obey.”
Orji maintained that “Agballa’s reckless action has proven that he was planted in the party to have it destroyed and finally buried in Enugu State.”
He said it was shocking that “at this time that every other party is mobilizing their members to organize primaries and prepare for the electioneering campaign, Agballah is busy looking for who to expel which is targeted at weakening the APC in Enugu State.
“It will be recalled that many States do not have people in the National Caucus of the party, but Agballah had the temerity to expel my humble self, a member of the National Caucus of APC.
“Agballah who is falsely parading himself as a Chairman and member of the party purportedly expelled me and the foundation members and pillars of the party like the celebrated former State Chairman of the party, Dr Ben Nwoye, Barr. Chukwudi Igwe, Chief Obodoeze Ocho and others for the sole purpose of deepening the crisis rocking the party in Enugu State and further have the party disintegrated for the benefit of the PDP in Enugu State.
“These were the people who labored under the sun and the rain to nurture the party to the present attractive State that Agballah who is widely recognised as a political traveler, a pathological gold digger, had to leave his inconsequential role in the PDP in search of a hatchet job in APC,” he further stated.
He called for the implementation of an earlier report by the present National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdulahi Adamu, on the crisis rocking the party in Enugu State.
“It has been our position that the said report should be implemented in order to bring a lasting peace in APC, Enugu State. But Agballah, in connivance with the enemies of the party in the State, has been working fruitlessly to see that the said report does not see the light of the day,” he said.
Orji concluded that “Agballa will soon be shown the way out of the APC so that the real owners of the party will take over what rightly belongs to them.”
He maintained that the said expulsion had no ground in the APC Constitution and should be disregarded.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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