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SGF: Southeast APC re-strategises, harmonises ministerial list

By Ikenna Onyekwelu
09 June 2015   |   2:07 am
Following the impending loss of the post of Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), leaders of the Southeast caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has harmonised its list of potential ministerial nominees in readiness for the expected appointment of ministers. At a meeting at the Asokoro residence of former Abia State Governor, Dr.…
Onu

Onu

Following the impending loss of the post of Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), leaders of the Southeast caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has harmonised its list of potential ministerial nominees in readiness for the expected appointment of ministers.

At a meeting at the Asokoro residence of former Abia State Governor, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, at the weekend, the leaders arrived at a new arrangement where the prominent contenders for SGF, the former governors of old Abia and Anambra states, Onu and Senator Chris Ngige, have been included in the list for appointment as ministers.

A source at the meeting confided in The Guardian that, while Senator Ngige had his name on the list from Anambra Central Senatorial zone, Onu, decided to nominate his close ally, Comrade Sunday Nwachi from Ebonyi South senatorial zone even as he still habours the hope of being named as SGF by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The source said that having come to the conclusion that the SGF position may no longer come the way of Southeast, the leaders decided to come together to ensure that “they cry with one voice so as not to further jeopardise the political interest of the zone.”

He added that, prior to the meeting of the Southeast leaders, APC stakeholders from Ebonyi State met at the same venue where a new list of potential ministerial nominees, including, Barrister Tonia Adol-Awam, Austin Edeze and Hon. Pius Okemini, were drawn from Ebonyi North Senatorial zone.

Chris-Ngige

Ngige

“From Ebonyi Central Senatorial zone only the name of the APC governorship candidate in the last election, Senator Julius Ali Ucha, was included. The name of the former member representing Ishielu/Ezza North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engineer Peter Edeh, was removed to pave way for Onu’s candidate,” the source remarked.

He explained that Edeh’s name was included in the first list due to the consideration that if Onu was in line to be appointed SGF, it would be proper to include a ministerial nominee from his Ebonyi South Senatorial zone.

The source disclosed that the division within the geopolitical zone reared its head when Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, wanted to raise objections over the appearance of Senator Ngige’s name on the list when he was included as one of the SGF hopeful, saying that Ngige reacted swiftly that Okorocha was not from Anambra and that whoever was nursing any hopes for the SGF was daydreaming.

He stated that the meeting helped to resolve the Ebonyi leadership crisis, stressing that, for the first time Onu recognised Hon. Ben Nwobasi as the State Chairman of APC in Ebonyi State.

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