The All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter in Anambra State has denounced Minister of Labor and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige for refusing to officially endorse the party’s presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2023 elections, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Chief Basil Ejidike, the party’s chairman for Anambra State, on Thursday, distanced the state APC from Ngige’s remarks on Channels Television.
He added that what Ngige said was his own viewpoint and that he never claimed to speak for the party during the interview, therefore the party has nothing to do with what the Minister said on Channels Television.
“Ngige never said he represented the party during the interview and whatever he said was personal and does not reflect the position of the party in Anambra state,” he said at a press briefing.
Ngige had resisted endorsing his party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 elections when he recently spoke on Channels Television.
APC member Dr. Ngige stated during the interview that he would make his decision during the voting process.
“I’m not active in politics for now because I am facing a national assignment,” he said.
When asked who he would support between the APC’s Tinubu and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Ngige said, “Both of them are my friends. My choice will be in the ballot box. It is a secret ballot. I shouldn’t tell Nigerians what I would do secretly.”
At the briefing, Mr. Okelo Madukaife, the party’s former state publicity secretary, was a subject of concern for Ejidike as well.
He claims that when Madukaife is not a member, he poses as the party’s spokesperson.
He mentioned that Valentine Oliobi had taken over Okelo’s position as the official press secretatof the party in the state after the party fired him in 2021.
“If the former national chairman of the party Adams Oshomole could step aside, I don’t know why Okelo Madukaife is still parading himself as the publicity secretary of state APC. He was suspended on July 2021 for anti-party activities. As a chairman of the party, I am not aware that Okelo has been re-admitted into the party. He is not a member of Anambra State APC,” he said