Enugu APC leaders trade words as Agballah camp urges unity
By John Okezie
A fresh war of words has erupted in the Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following a statement credited to Osita Okechukwu, a foundation member of the party, warning Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah not to reward the political camp of former state chairman, Chief Ugochukwu Agballah.
In a media release on Thursday, Kenneth Ofoma, Senior Special Adviser on Media to Chief Agballah, criticised Okechukwu’s comments and said it was time for him “to drop toxicity” and help build a stronger APC in the state.
Ofoma said the remarks by Okechukwu, in which he allegedly labelled Agballah’s group as “political bandits”, were unnecessary and misleading.
“We will refrain from using similar uncouth and undignifying language in replying Okechukwu. He doesn’t deserve a response but for the public who may be deceived into placing premium on such misguided call,” Ofoma stated.
He argued that Agballah’s leadership had stabilised the party before Governor Mbah joined the APC, adding that “the assumption of Hon Barr Ugochukwu Agballah as the state chairman brought sanity into the party and put it on the trajectory to electoral victory.”
According to him, with Governor Mbah now in the APC, party faithful should “bury the hatchet and cooperate with the governor, who is now the leader of the party, in building a bigger APC in Enugu State.”
Ofoma mocked Okechukwu for being “away for far too long,” saying the former DG did not seem aware that Agballah was no longer the state chairman or that his supporters had been working closely with the governor to unify the party.
“We don’t need all these toxic behaviours from toxic individuals. The time for recriminations and mudslinging is over”, he said.
He stressed that Agballah’s camp had resolved not to retaliate against those who opposed him in the past. “We will not retaliate; we don’t think it will do the party any good. What the party needs now is unity in order to deliver Enugu State and return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Mbah for a second term in 2027.”
He urged Okechukwu and others “still harbouring bitterness” to “sheath the sword,” insisting that “the train has already left the station.”
Earlier, Okechukwu had told journalists that it would be dangerous for Governor Mbah to “reward” the Agballah group in the ongoing composition of ward and local government executives.
He questioned reports that two of the four APC slots in the planned nine-member ward and LGA executive structure might be ceded to Agballah’s camp.
On what basis, he asked, should the governor “reward someone he described as a serial renegade who led a political coup that contributed to the APC securing only 4,722 votes in the 2023 presidential election in Enugu State?”
Okechukwu said the APC polled over 56,000 votes in the 2019 presidential election and had hoped to improve on that figure before Agballah was “imposed on the party,” a development he said derailed progress.
He urged Governor Mbah to ensure “equity and fairness” in the ongoing party restructuring. According to him, “If His Excellency rates Chief Agballah so highly despite widespread reservations, then he should, as a matter of fairness, allocate two slots to him from the five slots belonging to the PDP.”
In a follow-up statement, the Agballah group reaffirmed its commitment to working with Governor Mbah to consolidate the APC’s structure in the state.
“Now that the Governor has entered, he has become the leader of the party and we are going to work closely with him. We are happy that he carried us along in the constitution of the Ward and Local Government Caretaker Committee and we also wish that he will carry us along in the establishment of the party executive”, the group said.
