AWKA— THE lingering crisis in the Anambra State chapter of All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) has deepened with the State executive of the party accusing the national executive of the party of not having interest in the political tension in the State. The State executive accused the national leadership of not caring about the coming Local Government election in the state, saying that they (national leadership) left the candidates to groan like sheep without a shepherd. The state exco also threatened to take the national body to court over the appointment of caretaker committee.
The State executive also threatened to sue the national leadership of the party for trying to constitute a Caretaker Committee for the party in the State. The lingering crisis was prompted by the purported dissolution of the party’s state executive led by Chief Mike Kwentoh and replaced it with a 13-member caretaker committee headed by Ichie Mike Ejezie. The action however did not go down well with the party’s stakeholders in the state who asked the party leadership to the caretaker committee from going ahead. They wanted the elected executive to continue until election was conducted.
In a resolution dated June 23, 2004 signed by 48 members of the party, comprising of the State executive council and stakeholders, they called on the national leadership to revert to the status quo. The resolution was addressed to the National chairman of the party.
“Sequel to the resolution of Anambra State executive on 26th May, 2004, which had been delivered to you and other responsible functionaries of the party, we expect that by now, the National leadership would have set in motion, a process that will bring to light, the true and unbiased position of the party in Anambra State, then you will justifiably take a stand that can meet with the party’s constitutional directives.
“Your excellency may wish to recall that since after the unfortunate dissolution of the State Exco that a lot of eye-opening revelations have been achieved.
“Consider a meeting of all party leaders from Anambra State at the house of Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, well attended by all the National officers of the party from Anambra State, stakeholders, both at State and national levels, including the apostles of caretaker committee. The Caretaker situation in Anambra State was at that meeting critically discussed by these gentlemen and found out that the dissolution was on misinformation. A return to status quo ante was therefore approved.
“Consider also that because of this similar complaint that the National secretariat raised an investigative panel in October 2003 on the activities of the State and went back to Abuja. It is however true that the report of the panel has not been communicated to us, but the result was glaring and represented the feeling of Anambra people on their leadership."
“Anambra people from far and near have spoken and are still speaking. They are not happy. They felt they are being taken for a ride as a people who are not capable of selecting their leaders and keeping them on check. Worse they reasoned that the caretaker committee as constituted were sponsored, run and made up of people of questionable character known by all Anambrarians to be responsible for the party’s woes in Anambra State during the past general election. ANPP is the party we believe in, we are ready to swim or sink with it.
The National leadership has failed to acknowledge the unfortunate political tension in Anambra State. The Local Government election in Anambra State is round the corner and our candidates who toiled to build the ANPP in the State are groaning like sheep without a shepherd”, the resolution stated.
The resolution also noted that the State executive of the party would consider “appropriate legal action that will enable them regain all powers conferred them by the party’s constitution if no tangible response is received from the national leadership.
