NAN – The Patriots, a political group in Enugu State, has passed a vote of no confidence on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
In a communiqué after its meeting in Enugu, the group on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 called for the immediate change in the party’s leadership structure.
The group, made up of elders and stakeholders from different parts of the state, expressed dissatisfaction with the management of the funds released to the leadership for the 2015 general elections.
The communiqué signed by its Coordinator, Mr Vincent Anidiobu, and Secretary, Chief Vitalis Ani, called for an audit of the funds received by the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the election, Mr Okey Ezea, saying it was dissatisfied with the “abysmal outing of the party in the state’’ at the elections.
The group also agreed to rebuild, restructure and reposition the state chapter of the APC to prepare it for the challenges ahead, while ensuring credible and harmonious leadership in the party.
It congratulated Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the president-elect, on his success at the polls and called on him to see the entire country as his constituency.
It said the stakeholders were already studying the credentials of candidates who had shown interest in ministerial appointments in the state.
“Our ideal candidate shall be one that is technically competent, with proven track records and of proven integrity, whose loyalty to the party is not in doubt.
“The candidate must be such that shall have the capacity and ability to reconcile all the warring factions in the party and reunite and reposition the party in the state,’’ it said.
“Enugu State has always worked with the party at the centre and does not wish to be in opposition for long.
“Now that power is about to change hands from the PDP to the APC at the centre, deliberate steps should be taken to realign the state to the party at the center in order not to deprive it of developmental projects and key appointments from the central government,’’ it said.
The stakeholders also described as unfortunate the crisis of confidence between the executive and the legislature in the state.
“Both parties have been protecting themselves in corruption. Enugu citizens must rise up to demand for accountability from Gov. Sullivan Chime and the Speaker, Mr Eugene Odo, as well as other members of the present state assembly,’’ the communiqué said.
