A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has appealed to Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah to reconsider allocating party positions to a group led by Chief Ugo Agbala. Okechukwu described Agbala’s group as “political bandits” and expressed concern that they may be rewarded with two out of four slots allocated to the APC in the proposed Ward and Local Government Area executive structure.

Okechukwu acknowledged Governor Mbah as the new leader of the APC in Enugu State and stated that his appeal was prompted by reports of the potential allocation. He questioned the basis for such a decision, citing Agbala’s past actions, which he claimed contributed to the APC’s poor performance in the 2023 presidential election. The party secured only 4,722 votes, a significant decline from the 56,000 votes garnered in the 2019 presidential election.

According to Okechukwu, Agbala’s leadership style drove many party members away, resulting in the lowest presidential vote tally in the country. He warned that rewarding Agbala would be detrimental to the party’s growth and urged Governor Mbah to ensure equity and fairness in the composition of party executives. Okechukwu suggested that if the governor values Agbala’s contributions, he should allocate slots from the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) quota instead.

The APC’s performance in Enugu State has been a subject of concern, and Okechukwu’s appeal highlights the need for careful consideration in the composition of party executives. Governor Mbah’s decision will likely have significant implications for the party’s future in the state. As the APC seeks to rebuild and strengthen its presence in Enugu, the allocation of party positions will be closely watched by party members and observers alike. The outcome of this decision will likely influence the party’s ability to regain lost ground and improve its performance in future elections.