Young APC Chieftain Reveals What Party Should Do as Ngige Refuses to Publicly Declare Support for Tinubu
- Obidike Chukwuebuka, the director-general of the Conference of APC Support Groups, has disagreed with those calling for labour minister Chris Ngige's sack
- Some APC chieftains had called for Ngige's sack or resignation following his failure to publicly declare support for the party's presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu
- However, Obidike said rather than sack Ngige, the APC's NWC should ensure the minister and other stakeholders are carried along in the 2023 presidential election
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FCT, Abuja - On Friday, October 7, Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, left many supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) surprised as he declined to disclose his preferred presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.
When asked in a Channels TV interview whether he would endorse Bola Tinubu, his party’s presidential candidate or back Peter Obi, the flagbearer of the Labour Party, Ngige described the question as “difficult”.
Source: Facebook
“Both of them are my friends. My choice will be in the ballot box. Whether conscience or no conscience, on that day in February, I’ll have one vote," he said.
Declare support for Tinubu or resign, Ngige told
Reacting to Ngige's statement, Murtala Ajaka, deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Ngige should resign if he cannot support Tinubu.
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In a statement released on Saturday, October 8, Ajaka said the APC presidential primary election had long ended, and the party had settled for Tinubu.
He said all the party leaders should put their ambitions behind them to deliver the party’s presidential ticket in 2023.
Tinubu's 2023 presidential bid: Ngige should be sacked, says ex-senator
Also commenting, Ayo Arise, an APC chieftain, said Ngige should be sacked by the federal government for not publicly endorsing Tinubu.
Arise, a former senator, said the minister’s dilemma calls his loyalty into question, adding that he should be fired.
“He should be sacked, it’s not a question of whether he should resign. If you’re saying you don’t know (who to support) but you’re benefiting from the party," the former senator said on Channels TV.
Ngige should not be sacked, says Obidike Chukwuebuka
Commenting on the development, Obidike Chukwuebuka, the director-general of the Conference of APC Support Groups, disagreed with those calling for Ngige's sack.
Obidike said Nigerians should disregard comments in the media by politicians calling for the resignation or sack of Senator Ngige over his refusal to publicly declare support for Tinubu.
The young APC chieftain advised the party's National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure Ngige and other stakeholders are carried along in the 2023 presidential election.
As the former Governor of Anambra state, he (Ngige) did very well, and he represents the good image of the party in the southeast.
"Whatever that may be the issue of his refusal to publicly declare his support for Tinubu should be resolved, Ngige remains a man whose input and sacrifices to the formation of APC and towards the growth of our nascent democracy cannot be overemphasized.
"So I advise the National Working Committee of our great party, APC, to swing into action to ensure everyone is carried along in the 2023 presidential election."
Obidike said he was "excited" that President Buhari did not pay attention to those calling for Ngige's sack over the development.
"Elections can't be won without unity and everybody is important in the party.
"I'm excited President Buhari does not pay attention to issues as trivial as the call for Nigige’s sack on grounds of the exercise of a right which is private and exclusive to him, like every private Nigerian," Obidike told Legit.ng.
2023 presidency: How southeast youth will give Tinubu 5.1m votes, Obidike reveals
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Obidike promised to deliver 5.1m votes to the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu, from the youth constituency in the southeast in the 2023 general election.
"We're ready to deliver 5.1m votes to Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC from youth constituency in the southeast.
"This is in line with our efforts during voters registration, where we mobilized young people for it. Calculations have been made, and we're serious about 2023," the young APC chieftain said.
Source: Legit.ng
