Ex-APC chairperson resigns from party, gives reason

A former Chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Ben Nwoye, has resigned from the party.

Mr Nwoye, a lawyer, announced his resignation at a press briefing in Enugu on Thursday.

He served as the chairperson of the APC in the state between 2014 and 2021.

Why I resigned

Mr Nwoye explained that his resignation was in response to “deep internal crises and leadership disintegration” in the party.

The former chairperson regretted that the APC he helped to build had lost its cohesion and purpose.

“The bunch of brooms which we painstakingly tied together in 2013 has loosened and permanently scattered,” he said, referring to the APC symbol.

At least four different political parties merged to form the APC 2013 ahead of the 2015 general elections.

‘Vindictive politics’

Mr Nwoye, at the press briefing, condemned the APC leadership in the South-east which he accused of prioritising “vindictive politics” over growth and inclusion.

The politician said instead of expanding the APC’s reach, the leadership of the party in the region has been focused on “suppressing dissenting voices and perceived political enemies.”

He also lamented the existence of factions within the party in Enugu, pointing out that two rival camps were currently fighting for control.

Mr Nwoye said while one faction of the party was being backed by a court ruling and the other was persisting in “open defiance.”

He alleged that the APC’s national leadership was ignoring the crisis in the party and failing to act on repeated calls for reconciliation by party elders.

The former APC chairperson claimed that loyal party members who disagreed with the national leadership have been treated with disdain and described them as “prisoners of political war.”

“I have engaged in extensive consultations with my grassroots followers and I have come to the conclusion that it is time to move on,” he said.

“I refuse to be a political prisoner.”

‘Marginalisation of South-east in APC’

Mr Nwoye further accused the APC national leadership of marginalising party chieftains from the South-east.

Giving instances of the alleged marginalisation, the former chairperson claimed the party had sidelined a former Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige and a former governorship candidate in Abia State, Emenike Ikechi.

He did not mention the next political party he will be joining. But there are speculations that he was considering the Peoples Democratic Party.

Background

The APC in Enugu State has been enmeshed in a leadership crisis in recent years which has resulted in the split of the party into two factions.

A faction was being led by a former President of the Nigerian Senate, Ken Nnamani, while the other faction was led by the embattled Chairperson of the APC in the state, Ugochukwu Agballah.

Mr Agballah has the backing of the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, as well as the party’s national leadership.

In 2023, the faction led by Mr Agballah suspended some members of the rival faction.

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Shortly after, the APC’s National Vice Chairperson, South-east, Ijeomah Arodiogbu, ratified the suspension.

Mr Nwoye, who was among those suspended from the party, later dismissed the suspension, calling on Mr Arodiogbo to investigate the allegations of anti-party activities against them.

In February 2025, the faction led by Mr Nnamani announced the expulsion of Mr Agballah and eight others from the party.

The faction of the party claimed that Mr Agballah and other expelled members had consistently disobeyed the orders of a high court that restrained them from parading themselves as executive members of the party in the state.

Mr Agballah later dismissed the expulsion.