A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the party’s 2023 Enugu North Senatorial candidate, Simon Ejike Eze, has expressed concern that the recent influx of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members into the APC in Enugu State is creating fresh layers of disunity within the ruling party.
Eze warned that long-standing APC members are increasingly being sidelined in favour of new entrants, a development he said could deepen internal divisions and weaken the party’s structure ahead of future elections if not urgently addressed through inclusive leadership and reconciliation.
Speaking in an interview, the APC chieftain recalled that he had earlier appealed to the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, to establish reconciliation committees in states grappling with factional disputes.
“Two months ago, I called on the National Chairman of the APC to set up reconciliation committees in all states experiencing factional conflicts, so the party could enter the 2027 elections as a united force,” he said.
While acknowledging that the recent appointment of reconciliation committees was a step in the right direction, Eze maintained that the situation in Enugu remained unresolved. “In fact, the influx of PDP members is creating yet another layer of disunity,” he added.
He appealed to both state and federal leaders to intervene, stressing the need to recognise the sacrifices and contributions of long-standing party members.
“I urge the governor to pay close attention to these issues. I also call on Mr President to intervene and ensure those responsible understand that party members are human beings with aspirations, not logs of wood to be pushed aside,” Eze said.
Despite his reservations, he acknowledged that Enugu State could benefit from closer alignment with the federal government. “Enugu stands to gain greatly from being in sync with the government at the centre. Any right-thinking person should see it from that perspective,” he noted.
Eze recounted his long association with the APC, stating that he was active in the party long before the current administration joined. While conceding that the governor had performed creditably, he argued that this should not justify the marginalisation of loyal party members.
“At the local government level, particularly in Igbo-Eze South, new members behave as if those who were in the party before them do not exist,” he said, warning that such attitudes could fuel factional leadership struggles.
He urged Peter Mbah and the party leadership to act swiftly to prevent factionalisation, insisting that unity and inclusion were critical to electoral success.
“Party unity is essential to winning, and everyone must be carried along. Treating long-standing members as non-entities will only weaken the party,” Eze said.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the APC, stressing that experienced and loyal members remained vital to the party’s future success in Enugu State.
Linus Aleke, Abuja
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