The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sacked its public secretary, Mr. Okelo Madukaife over alleged anti party activities, including congratulating the winner of the just concluded governorship election, Professor Charles Soludo.
The state chairman of the party, Mr. Basil Ejidike stated this at a press briefing in Awka. He said that Okelo was suspended in June this year and therefore has no reason to be parading himself as an official of APC.
But the embattled publicity secretary said the chairman is on his own, adding that he has been performing his duties as the spokesman of the party.
According to the party chairman, Okelo has continued to parade himself to the public as publicity secretary to the extent that he appeared on a national television to congratulate Prof Chukwuma Soludo as the winner of the governorship election when the party hierarchy was still studying the outcome of the exercise.
He recalled that Okelo did not challenge his suspension after a panel found him guilty.
Ejidike said: ” kelo was suspended in June this year. Someone who was suspended from the party went on air claiming to be making statements on behalf of the party and we feel disturbed. We feel that such a situation should not be allowed.
“If you are not with the party, you are not with it. You cannot be out of the party and still be speaking for the party.
“Since June 2021, Okelo has been raining abuses on APC and its leadership and to put the records straight, he has not been attending meetings and activities of the party.
“His suspension followed his indictment over his involvement in anti party activities.
“He has since then been replaced by the state assistant publicity secretary, Mr. Nonso Chinwuba in line with the constitution of the party.
“The party therefore enjoins the general public and the media in particular to desist from dealing with him as agent of APC. As it stands, Okelo Madukaife does not belong to APC.
On behalf of APC, I want to state that the statements credited to the suspended publicity secretary, Mr. Okelo Madukaife were not the position of the APC in Anambra State.
“We wish to state categorically that as far as the Anambra Governorship poll is concerned we have not congratulated anybody as the party is still studying the situation with a view to approaching the court to challenge the poll”.
Reminded the the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige and Director General of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Chief George Moghalu who are chieftains of the APC in state had already congratulated Soludo, Ejidike said they did that as individuals and not as officials of the party.
When contacted on the telephone, Madukaife said he remained the state’s publicity secretary.
He said: “I am still doing my work very effectively; discharging my duties as the publicity secretary of the party in the state.
“Our party cannot be sold to anybody. Our position that there were no governorship primaries in Anambra as stated by our chapter remains firm, fixed and unshakable. It’s the truth registered in the minds of all members of APC in the state.
“Ejidike is on his own. The whole chapter has discovered that he is a sellout; We have been managing him for the sake of our own image”.
