Abuja, Nigeria — The former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Enugu State Chapter, Dr. Ben Nwoye unleashed furious attacks Wednesday on the purported suspension of Ginika Tor, the commissioner representing Enugu at the Federal Character Commission, FCC, amid an intensifying standoffs in the party.
Ginika Tor who represents Enugu state at the FCC was reportedly suspended by the zonal leadership of the party on Tuesday, 19th March, 2024.
Dr. Nwoye wondered what the rationale behind the action could be at a “time the party at the national level is more concerned on how to tackle the numerous challenges facing the country and ensure the safety of lives and properties in Nigeria.
Briefing newsmen on Wednesday, 20th March, 2024 in Enugu, the APC Chieftain said the action of the zonal Chairman, Dr. Arodiogbu is not only illegal but calls to question, the motive of the Zonal vice about Enugu APC.
“Hon. Tor is just a member of the APC, there’s no section of the party, where you’re required as an ordinary member to be suspended by the state and then ratified by the zonal. It’s ridiculous and I wonder why a gentleman like Dr. Arodiogbu would allow himself to be dragged into such macabre dance.
It has become a routine practice for Dr. Arodiogbu to take a trip back and forth into Enugu to look for stars and leaders of Enugu to suspend. He has done that before when he came down to Enugu claiming he has suspended the former Senate President, former Governor, former speaker of Enugu state including myself.
He needs to go and read the constitution because those things aren’t called for in the constitution. The only place you can be suspended as a member is at the ward level and you’ve right to appeal and there must be a process.
Nwoye maintained that the suspension announced on the pages of newspaper is a sponsored attempt to push out those that genuinely worked for the party and called on President Bola Tinubu to look into those appointed into office.
“The mistake of appointing people that worked against the president is the cause of all these nonsense because if the right people; those who worked for the president have been appointed to serve as minister, the sponsors of this type of media war will not have a tooth to bite. But because they came in and they’re reaping where they didn’t sow, they can think about suspending those that worked for the president.
While advising the state Chairman of the party; Ugochukwu Agballah to borrow a leaf from other state Chairmen that are working day and night to unite the party in their various states, Nwoye urged the zonal vice chairman to work towards building the party and not announcing suspensions without replacing those purportedly suspended.
“The only thing the leadership of APC Enugu does, unfortunately in connivance with Dr. Arodiogbu is to come back to Enugu and imaginary sack people. They’ve never held any rally where they asked the national chairman to come and receive anybody unlike what happened when I was the chairman. During my time, our national Chairman came and welcomed big-wigs into the party.
“I’m pleading with the zonal vice Chairman to stop reducing his political status and stop visiting No 80 Nza Street, for the purposes of dismembering what’s left of APC in Enugu state. I begin to wonder what he stands to gain.”
The Nwoye is Chief of Staff to the National Deputy Chairman North of the party, Ali Dalori.
South East APC ratifies suspension Ginika Tor
The South East Zonal Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday ratified the suspension of the Federal Commissioner representing Enugu state at the Federal Character Commission, Ginika Tor.
The Enugu State chapter of the APC had previously suspended the federal character commissioner over alleged gross misconduct, anti-party activities and attempt to create a parallel executive of the party in the state.
The State Executive Committee had received two petitions against Tor which were referred to the State Disciplinary Committee of the party headed by Vincent Chieyine.
The Disciplinary Committee after investigation of the allegations against the federal Commissioner submitted a report to the State Executive Committee with a recommendation for her suspension, including seeking for her replacement as a federal commissioner, among other sanctions.
The Enugu State Executive Committee after reviewing the report, unanimously endorsed the recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee and slammed indefinite suspension on Tor.
The South East Zonal Executive of the party therefore, on Tuesday, March 19, met in Enugu where it duly considered the report of the Enugu State chapter suspending Mrs Tor.
In a statement signed by Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, National Vice Chairman APC South East and made available to journalists in Enugu, the Zonal Executive Committee ratified the suspension of the commissioner.
The statement reads, “Recall sometime around the 10th of March 2024, Ginika Tor was engaged in anti-party activities and published statements whose purpose was to bring the leadership of APC Enugu and the Enugu State Executive into disrepute, contempt, hatred and public ridicule.
“She also created a factional/parallel State Executive Committee in APC Enugu state which is contrary to Section 21:2 of the 2022 Constitution of the All Progressives Congress as amended.
“The South East Zonal Executive of the APC hereby ratifies the suspension of Ginika Tor from the All Progressives Congress.”
The resolution ratifying the suspension of the federal character commissioner was copied to Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, National Chairman of APC; Sen Hope Uzodinma, the governor of Imo State and leader APC South East; Chief Emma Eneukwu, APC Deputy National Chairman, South; and Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology.
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