Members of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State chapter have express misgiving about Minister of Labour and Employment in the affairs of the party in the state.
In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, signed by Jideofor Ejimofor, Emeka Kammelu, Gody Offor, Henry Obiokpala, Ugochukwu Egbobe Joseph Molokwu, Ayamelum and Paul Chuks Umenduka, the party alleged that Ngige has not helped the party in Anambra State.
They said with the minister as the leader of APC in Anambra, the party has not won any election.
“With Ngige as leader in Anambra, APC has never won any election anywhere in the state; whether councillor-ship, local government chairmanship, House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate or governorship.
“It may also interest Mr. President to know that the councillor representing Alor Ward (minister’s ward), whether elected or appointed since the inception of APC, has always been of APGA extraction. Same applies to the House member representing the minister’s state constituency. Presently, his federal constituency has a PDP House of Representatives member.
“In 2019 election, with Ngige as leader and sitting labour and employment minister, APC performed abysmally poor in the presidential election. Ngige hails from ldemili South council, where President Buhari scored 2,220 votes and PDP presidential candidate Abubakar Atiku, scored 17,039 votes. Also in Idemili North council, which is Ngige’s second council in his federal constituency, Buhari scored 1,846 votes and Atiku scored 37,188 votes.
In summary, Anambra State, under Ngige’s leadership, Atiku scored 524,738 votes and Buhari 33,298 votes in 2019 presidential election,” the party said.
The party leaders said Ngige has only favoured his relatives instead of party members, saying: “We thank Mr. President for graciously reappointing Ngige as labour and employment minister, appointing his wife, Evelyn, as permanent secretary, Office of Head of Service (Welfare Office); his biological brother, Emeka, as chairman, Council of Legal Education; his elder brother, Edwin and his maternal uncle, Emma Nwosu as chairmen of federal boards; his biological sister, Bene Nwachukwu (nee Ngige) and his cousin, Uzoma Igbonwa, as NACA board members.
“A careful look at those Ngige employed in Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) will show that majority of them are from his village (Alor) with too many Ngiges on the list.
“Out of about 43 names he employed in NSITF, majority of them are from Alor, his village and Nnobi his mother’s village. The comprehensive list can be seen from a video of House of Representatives Committee probing NSITF. Very few members of the party have benefitted from employment being given by Ngige as a minister.”
They accused the minister of appointing his kinsman, Uzoma Igbonwa (Okife) as chairman, Presidential Task Force on the 774 Federal Government jobs for Anambra State when the same man is also the Federal Government board member of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NACA).
The APC members appealed to President Buhari to “direct Ngige to open up the party by being fair and accommodative to all members.
“He should also be urged to stop using his leadership position to witch-hunt and unsettle genuine and committed party officers and members.
“This clarion call is very urgent to prevent a looming exodus of party’s major stakeholders…”
