Atiku has not launched any presidential campaign in Enugu – APC

Below is a press release from the Concerned Enugu APC stakeholders group debunking reports that the Presidential ambition of Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar has caused tensions in the Enugu state chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC).

The statement signed by Mr Bennett Nnabike, Chairman of the group and the secretary, Mr Ezekiel Mmadu, read;

“Following report on a national newspaper which claims that former Vice-President H.E Atiku Abubakar’s Presidential Bid is unsettling the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu state, the attention of Concerned Enugu APC Stakeholders has been drawn to unfounded and unsubstantiated speculations in the report.

For the records, the APC in Enugu has not decided on any Presidential candidate ahead of 2019. No member of our great Party can authoritatively say which candidates will be contesting for the APC Presidential ticket in 2018; since no leader has formally and publicly declared intention to run for exalted position in our great country.

The former Vice President has not inaugurated any committee to drive his campaign in Enugu. So, we find it absurd to link H.E Atiku Abubakar’s ambition to the crisis unsettling the APC in Enugu.

We restate here that the crisis in the Enugu chapter of our Party has to do with alleged financial misappropriation by the Chairman, Ben Nwoye, and his cohorts.

Well-meaning members of our Party in the state have filed several petitions to the National Leadership of our great Party and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) calling for the investigation of the allegations of financial impropriety brought against our Chairman.

While we await the timely response to the petitions filed, we join voices with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who is the highest-ranking member of our Party in the state, to plead for peace and also call for dialogue among key stakeholders.

We also maintain our position that due process, transparency, accountability and fair-hearing as enunciated by the APC constitution be adhered to in handling Party affairs.

Finally, we emphatically state that linking the crisis in the Enugu chapter of the Party to H.E Atiku Abubakar’s Presidential bid is an effort to cause confusion and disaffection in the Party in the State.

It should be noted that as many as will indicate interest in contesting for our Party’s Presidential ticket in 2018 are free to set up their structures in our state at the end of day we will gladly work together to ensure that the APC retains its Presidential mandate.”