Today, the 19th day of March, 2024, Honourable Justice k. Okpe of the High Court of Enugu State, Enugu Division struck out the two Suits filed by Adolphus Ude against All Progressives Congress(APC), Chief Ugochukwu Agballah, and Chief Uche Nnaji in Suit No. E/47/2023 and Suit No. E/74/2023 with a total cost of N1.5m awarded against him.
The said Adolphus Ude abandoned the two Suits following the preliminary objection challenging the competence of the Suits, the Jurisdiction of the Court. Adolfus Udeh had alleged financial impropriety against Chief Uche Nnaji and Ugochukwu Agballah concerning Presidential election funds when both Agballah and Nnaji had claimed they did not receive any presidential election funds for Enugu state. The duo of Agballah and Nnaji had filed a case of defamation against Adolfus Udeh and certain newspapers and online blogs that carried the story which had gone viral. Adolfus Udeh had quickly rushed to court to ask Nnaji and Agballah to give an account of the said 1billion he alleged they received for presidential election. In their cross defence Agballah and Nnaji had claimed that the entire Presidential, governorship and national and state assembly elections were sponsored by Uche Nnaji. Who had earlier in a much publicized national press conference asked President Tinubu not to bring one kobo to Enugu as he claimed that the much expected presidential election funds was at the root of the crisis in Enugu. Enugu APC was then plunged in an 8 year unending crisis by Ken Nnamani, Sullivan Chime and Onyeama group and the Ben Nwoye group who were at each other throat before the Nnaji/Agballah group came in 2021 and took over the leadership of the party. Later the Ken Nnamani, Sullivan Chime , Onyeama and Ben Nwoye group campaigned openly for the PDP and also Labour Party which earned suspension from the the state and South East levels of the party. Since then peace had returned to the party in Enugu state and the party has recorded new entrants. President Tinubu had appointed Uche Nnaji minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which confirmed the claim that the deep picked Chief Nnaji single handedly footed the bills for the election in Enugu state. Adolfus Udeh has been fingered as the personality behind the unending crisis in the party. He was the one who had at different times over a period of ten years since the formation of APC been making very outlandish accusations against Onyeama, Ken Nnamani and Ben Nwoye. And had always switched allegiance from one party group and leader to the other. Adolfus Udeh who in 2021 unsuccessfully ran for state chairman of APC in Ben Nwoye’s faction against Ugochukwu Agballah was also one of the campaign co-ordinators of Atiku Abubakar PDP presidential candidate which fueled the speculation that his diatribe and viral social media false accusations against the Nnaji/Agballah APC leadership was being sponsored by PDP. During the presidential campaign Adolfus Udeh unashamedly went to the airport with other co-ordinators of PDP to welcome Atiku Abubakar when he came on presidential campaign just like Ben Nwoye who went on a PDP rally dressed in APC regalia to campaign for the PDP governorship candidate and also went on public media covered campaign for the Labour senatorial candidate. In the past most APC leaders were constant visitors to the PDP Lion building and also nominated their wives and daughter to cabinet and LGA positions just like Sullivan Chime whose daughter is a commissioner in Peter Mba’s govt and who is reputed to be his political god father. This turn of events before now made APC not to be taken seriously as a political party. But it is gratifying to note that the present crop of APC executives led by Hon Ugochukwu Agballah has clearly not been frolicking with the PDP govt in Enugu state as they used to do. There is a clear strong headed policy to instil discipline in the entire rank and file of APC Enugu state. The chairman has a reputation of a no nonsense man and a stickler for political discipline and astuteness while the leader Uche Nnaji is widely known for his single mindedness and strong convictions. Let’s see if this duo can build anything out the party of any thing goes that they forcefully took over the leadership. Apc did not do well in the last elections partly due to the regional and religious politics at play in the SE but also suffered from a leadership that were arm in gloves with the then PDP leadership in Enugu but all that seems to be changing. With the collapse of Labour Party in not only Enugu but the entire South East APC need strong leadership to win the confidence of the people of Enugu state which they seem to be doing with the entrance of a former senator and minister who all played leading roles in the victory of Labour Party in Enugu state.
