A former deputy Chairman of the Enugu state Chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC Comrade Adolphus Ude, has been elected as the Chairman of the party in the state.
Ude emerged at the Congress organized by Dr. Ben Nwoye, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party at the party secretariate after defeating two other opponents.
This came after a one time Commissioner for Works in the area, Chief Ugochukwu Agballa was produced by a parallel congress staged by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani’s group.
Ude, polled a total of 782 out of the 1, 300 votes cast during the exercise by delegates from the 260 political wards in the state to defeat Dr. Charles Chukwu who scored 202 votes, while Chief Benson Eze, who came a distant third got 142 votes.
The former Deputy Chairman who is from Enugu West Senatorial district of the state, was elected during a peaceful state congress of the APC held on Saturday, at the party’s State Secretariat.
Unlike Agballa, who was announced as Chairman without any executive committee member pronounced at the parallel congress, Ude was elected with the full members of the State Executive.
Chairman of the Enugu state Congress Committee, Mr. Jonathan Akaya, from the party’s national Secretariat who announced the result, said Comrade AC. Ude, is hereby, declare winner of the Enugu APC state congress conducted yesterday, haven scored the highest number of votes cast during the election.
Nwoye while speaking during the exercise, commended the congress delegates from all the three Senatorial district of the state for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves throughout the exercise.
The outgoing chairman however, lambasted former Senate President, Chief Kenneth Nnamani, for organizing a parallel congress in a private facility in state instead of the State party Secretariat as director by the national leadership of the party in Abuja.
The Nnamani led group, had earlier in the day announced Agballa, who joined the party from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP about three months ago as winner of their controversial parallel congress, held at Destiny event Center, Enugu, which was marred with fighting amongst suspected political thugs who took over the venue.
Our correspondent gathered that the Minster of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, and Ex- Governor of the state, Barrister Sullivan Chime, who hails from same Udi Council area of the state with Agballa, who were initially in same camp with the ex – Senate President, boycotted the parrallwed congress.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after he was declared winner, the new Enugu APC boss, Ude, said “I really feel fulfilled today, and want to say to god be the glory, because it’s God that made it possible.
“I want to also commend in a special way the Dr. Ben Nwoye Led Exco and the Enugu state congress Committee, for conducting a free and fair election today.
He promised to build on the feats recorded by the outgoing Chairman, Dr. Nwoye, whom he said, did marvelously well while piloting affairs of the party in the state.
Our Correspondent gathered that Chime, Onyeama and other Stalwarts of APC in the state were more disposed to the candidacy of a former Military governor of Gombe state, Group Captain Joe Orji, who alongside other contestants boycotted the Destiny event Center parallel congress for alleged lack of confidence on the process.
Also elected along side Comrade Ude were, Chief Anike Nworga who clinched the position of the Deputy Chairman, while the fomer state Administrative Secretary, Mr. Eva Asadu emerged as the Secretary of the party.
Others are, Hon. Chuks Patrick Owo Publicity Secretary with 367 votes, beating his opponent, Hon. Kelvin Okenwa who scored 341, Hon Mrs Favour Asogwa emerged the state woman leader with 503 votes, to defeat Lolo Queen Nwankwo who scored 408 votes.
Also elected by the Congress which ended around after 10 pm were, Mr. Chuks Adibe, Treasurer, Dr. Oby Aji, Financial Secretary, Hon. Ifeanyi Eze, Organising Secretary, Chukwudi Igwe, Legal Adviser, Sunny Umabi, Zonal Vice Chairman, Enugu East.
