APC sets up reconciliation committee on Anambra leadership crisis

By Jude Opara

In a bid to resolve the leadership crisis in the Anambra state chapter, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has constituted a five-member fact-finding and reconciliation committee to address the dispute and restore unity in the party.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Dr. Ben Nwoye, who also chairs the committee, called on the aggrieved members to sheath their swords and refrain from actions that could further deepen the crisis, particularly resorting to court cases.

Nwoye said the National Working Committee (NWC) set up the committee due to the lingering leadership tussle in the state chapter, which recently culminated in a court action seeking to remove the elected state chairman, Sen. Emma Anosike, and the recognition of another leadership structure.

He further explained that the committee has been mandated to investigate the issues that led to the dispute, engage all relevant stakeholders, reconcile opposing groups and recommend lasting measures to ensure unity in the party ahead of the upcoming elections.

The Deputy National Chairman said the immediate concern before the committee is the legal challenge that questioned the legitimacy of the Anosike-led executive and sought to install another.

Nevertheless, Nwoye assured party members that the national leadership was fully aware of the situation and had already initiated steps to prevent escalation of the crisis.

He urged all parties involved in the dispute to exercise restraint while the committee carries out its assignment, stressing that the APC remained committed to preserving peace and ensuring that internal disagreements do not undermine the party’s electoral prospects.

According to the Deputy National Chairman, the party’s legal team had responded to the court action and expressed satisfaction that the enforcement of the judgment had been stayed pending further legal proceedings.

He said the committee would immediately begin consultations with stakeholders both in Abuja and Anambra state as part of efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

Nwoye reminded party members of the provisions of the APC constitution, which require aggrieved members to exhaust all internal dispute resolution mechanisms before any litigation.

He expressed confidence that the reconciliation process would help restore stability in the Anambra chapter and strengthen the APC’s preparedness for future political engagements in the state.

It could be recalled that the crisis escalated on Sunday when a faction led by Chief Ifeanyi Osegbo allegedly took control of the APC state secretariat in Awka on the strength of a court judgment obtained against the Anosike-led executive.