Crisis Rocks Enugu APC As State Executive Rejects Dissolution By National Working Committee
Crisis Rocks Enugu APC As State Executive Rejects Dissolution By National Working Committee
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 11, 2025, and jointly signed by all members of the State Executive Committee and the 17 local government chairmen, the Enugu APC described the NWC’s action as “a gross overreach” that contravenes the party’s constitution and undermines internal democracy.
Afresh crisis has erupted within the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Enugu State Executive Committee has rejected what it described as the “unlawful, illegal, and unconstitutional” dissolution of its leadership by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 11, 2025, and jointly signed by all members of the State Executive Committee and the 17 local government chairmen, the Enugu APC described the NWC’s action as “a gross overreach” that contravenes the party’s constitution and undermines internal democracy.
The statement was titled: “Re: APC Enugu State Official Statement on the Dissolution of APC Enugu State Executive Committee and the Appointment of a Caretaker Committee.”
The Enugu APC leadership said its executive was “duly elected through the party congress in accordance with the provisions of the APC Constitution (2022 as amended).”
It further stated that “the Enugu State Chapter of the APC was never informed of any constitutional breach, misconduct, or infraction that could justify the purported decision of the NWC to dissolve the State Executive Committee.”
According to the statement, “the purported dissolution by the NWC therefore amounts to a gross overreach, and is unlawful, unconstitutional, and void ab initio, especially since the Enugu State Executive Committee has neither disobeyed any directive nor engaged in any act of indiscipline.”
The Enugu State leadership accused the NWC of violating several provisions of the APC Constitution and bypassing the Zonal Executive Committee (South-East), which it said is the only body empowered to intervene in disciplinary matters involving state organs.
“That according to Articles 21.1, 21.2, 21.3, and specifically Article 21.3(VI)(D) of the APC Constitution (2022 as amended), the Zonal Executive Committee (South-East) is the organ constitutionally empowered to first intervene in matters requiring disciplinary action involving state organs under its zone and to make recommendations to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for further action,” the statement said.
The party further insisted that “only the NEC, and not the NWC, can institute disciplinary proceedings against any organ of the party.”
Describing the NWC’s decision as “a clear act of impunity and a direct assault on internal party democracy,” the statement said, “This illegal action will be resisted by the entire State, Local Government, and Ward structures of the party.”
The Enugu APC also accused the NWC of appointing a caretaker committee made up mostly of suspended members, including “Mr. Ben Nwoye, who is not a member of the APC.”
“Of all persons listed as members of the purported caretaker committee, only one is a registered member of the APC. The rest were constitutionally suspended for various acts of anti-party activities… None of the suspended individuals has appealed their suspension,” it declared.
On Nwoye’s appointment, the statement stressed, “That Mr. Ben Nwoye, named as chairman of the purported caretaker committee, is not a member of the APC. On April 17, 2025, he publicly resigned from the party… Appointing a non-member as chairman of a caretaker committee is not only an act of political absurdity but a deliberate subversion of the constitution.”
The state executive further rejected the NWC’s action in totality, declaring, “We therefore direct all organs of the APC in Enugu State, ward, local government, zonal, and state, to remain in their offices as duly elected officers and to continue discharging their constitutional responsibilities.”
It instructed all members to disregard the caretaker committee and any meeting convened by it, warning that “those behind it lack the constitutional authority to issue such directives.”
The Enugu APC accused the NWC of trying to “reward disloyalty” and rehabilitate anti-party elements who campaigned openly against the party during the 2023 elections.
Highlighting its record of expanding the APC’s presence across the state, the statement said, “When this executive assumed office, APC was non-existent in over 20 wards in Enugu State due to the destructive leadership of Mr. Ben Nwoye… Today, under our leadership, APC has a presence in all 260 wards of Enugu State.”
The statement further revealed that the Enugu APC had sustained the party “with billions of naira of its own resources, without a single kobo of financial support from either the National Working Committee (NWC) or the National Secretariat.”
It emphasized that the party leadership would not submit to unconstitutional directives, stating, “Consequently, we will not acquiesce to this unconstitutional overreach… Where a party organ acts ultra vires, beyond its constitutional powers, its actions are null, void, and of no legal effect whatsoever.”
Concluding, the Enugu APC reaffirmed loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Executive Committee, pledging to defend the integrity of the party’s constitution.
“We therefore reject, in its entirety, this reckless attempt to subvert the constitution of our party under the guise of administrative discretion,” the statement said.
“The Enugu State APC will continue to uphold the supremacy of the party’s constitution and defend its integrity through every lawful and legitimate means.”
The statement was jointly signed by Enugu State APC Chairman Hon. Ugochukwu H. Agballah, along with other state and local government officials.
