ANAMBRA APC CRISIS: Nwoye Chairs Five-Member Reconciliation Committee, Calls for Calm

By Pan Afric Reporters

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated a five-member Fact-Finding and Reconciliation Committee to resolve the lingering leadership crisis rocking the party in Anambra state, urging aggrieved members to embrace dialogue and withdraw pending court cases.

The committee’s chairman, Benjamin Nwoye who double as the party national deputy chairman south, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, saying the intervention followed an emergency meeting of the APC National Working Committee held on Friday to address the escalating internal disputes within the Anambra State chapter of the party.

According to him, the committee comprises the APC National Woman Leader, Dr. Mary Alile, the National Legal Adviser, Prof. Abdulkarim Kana (SAN), the National Leader of Persons with Disabilities, and the Deputy National Secretary, who will serve as secretary.

He added that the committee had been mandated to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the crisis, engage stakeholders across the state and Abuja, and recommend lasting solutions capable of restoring unity and stability within the party in the state.

“Our assignment is to identify the causes of the crisis, speak with all stakeholders, reconcile the aggrieved parties, and ensure that our party remains united ahead of the forthcoming election,” he said.

He noted that the committee would also interface with security agencies in Anambra State to ensure that peace is maintained and that APC offices and other party assets are protected from possible attacks by rival factions.

He also stressed that the committee’s assignment has nothing to do with the emergence of APC candidates for the election, insisting that issues relating to the party primaries and candidate nominations had been conclusively settled. When asked by a journalist if the crisis is related to the candidate nomination.

“The crisis we are addressing is purely a leadership dispute. It has absolutely nothing to do with the names uploaded as candidates. Those issues have been resolved to finality by the party,” he explained.

He clarified that the committee is specifically investigating the controversy surrounding the court order which reportedly removed the APC State Chairman, Chief Emma Eneukwu, and recognised another leadership structure in the state.

Nwoye disclosed that immediately the party became aware of the court action, the APC National Legal Adviser filed the necessary legal processes to challenge the order.

“To the glory of God, we have received information today that enforcement of that order has been stayed by the same court that issued it,” he announced.

The committee chairman appealed to all APC stakeholders and members in Anambra to remain calm and cooperate with the reconciliation process.

“I want to plead with all parties, especially stakeholders, to hold their peace. We are coming to engage everyone. We shall meet stakeholders both in Abuja and in Awka to understand the immediate and remote causes of the crisis and recommend lasting solutions,” he said.

He further reiterated that the APC Constitution discourages members from instituting court actions over internal party disputes without first exhausting all internal dispute resolution mechanisms.

He warned that such actions could amount to self-expulsion under the party’s constitution.

“Anyone going to court should understand the consequences under our party constitution. You do not rush to court without exhausting the internal dispute resolution mechanisms available within the party. That action is prohibited and may amount to self-expulsion,” he stated.

However, he clarified that the committee had not reached any conclusion on whether those currently before the courts had exhausted the party’s internal dispute resolution channels.

“Our responsibility is to establish the facts. We have not concluded whether those who went to court exhausted all internal remedies. That is part of what this committee has been set up to determine,” he said.

He further appealed to members currently pursuing legal action against the party to withdraw their cases and embrace dialogue.

“If you have filed a case in court and you are a member of APC, withdraw your case. We are here to listen to everyone. Through alternative dispute resolution and mediation, we believe we can reconcile the differences and restore peace in the party,” Nwoye added.

During the briefing, a correspondent of Pan Afric Reporters, Onwe Wisdom asked whether members who had already approached the courts could still participate in the reconciliation process, considering the constitutional provision on self-expulsion.

In response, he maintained that the committee’s primary responsibility was fact-finding and reconciliation, noting that no determination had yet been made on the status of those involved in the litigation until the committee completed its assignment.

He reaffirmed the APC National Working Committee’s commitment to restoring unity in the Anambra chapter, expressing optimism that the intervention would strengthen the party in the state.