APC takes steps to resolve Anambra dispute before 2027

The All Progressives Congress national leadership convened a stakeholders' meeting on Tuesday to address the crisis within the Anambra State chapter, cautioning rival factions to refrain from actions that could exacerbate divisions.

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The meeting, held at Chiben Leisure Resort and Hotel in Awka, marked a concerted effort to resolve the months-long internal conflict, with disputed party structures, contentious candidate substitutions, and court battles identified as key factors threatening the party's electoral prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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The peace and reconciliation meeting was organized by the party's National Reconciliation Committee, led by Deputy National Chairman (South) Dr Benjamin Nwoye, and brought together state leaders, stakeholders, ward executives, youth, and women leaders.

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Dr Nwoye emphasized that the era of endless factional infighting must give way to reconciliation, warning that a divided APC would struggle to secure victory for President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid or win future elections in the state.

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Nwoye stated that the meeting marked a critical transition from dialogue to implementation, following an earlier stakeholders' reconciliation session held in Abuja on July 23, and was designed to translate the reconciliation process into practical peace across the party's grassroots structures in Anambra.

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The success of the peace process, according to Nwoye, now depends on its acceptance by ward executives, local government officials, youth, and women leaders, as well as polling unit officers, who are the party's closest link to the electorate.

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Nwoye emphasized that the meeting was not intended to reopen old wounds, but rather to deepen the peace that began in Abuja, stressing that politics is local and any peace that does not reach the grassroots is incomplete.

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Describing grassroots members as the engine room of the APC, Nwoye noted that elections are won in communities, markets, churches, villages, and polling units, making unity at that level indispensable.

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Dr Nwoye disclosed that consultations with stakeholders from different factions had identified allegations of removal of elected party officials, replacement of candidates who won party primaries, and expulsion of party leaders and members without fair hearing as major issues fuelling the crisis.

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Nwoye warned members against frustrating the reconciliation process, making it clear that the National Working Committee would not tolerate actions capable of deepening divisions within the party, and urged leaders to replace intimidation with consultation.

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He encouraged aggrieved members to pursue their grievances through the party's internal mechanisms rather than prolonged court battles, emphasizing that peace should not be mistaken for weakness but recognized as a strategic strength required to rebuild the APC.

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Nwoye urged stakeholders to move beyond complaints and begin rebuilding functional ward structures, disciplined campaign teams, and inclusive communication channels capable of repositioning the APC across Anambra.

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The deputy national chairman reaffirmed the National Working Committee's commitment to an all-inclusive peace settlement, assuring stakeholders that every submission made during the consultations would be forwarded to the party's national leadership before a final decision was reached.

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Anambra State APC Chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, pledged the state chapter's commitment to President Tinubu's re-election project, promising to reopen consultations aimed at bringing every aggrieved member back into the fold.

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Former state chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, appealed for genuine reconciliation, warning that neither of the rival factions possessed the strength to win elections independently.

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Deputy National Secretary, Abdulkareem Abubakar Kama (SAN), assured stakeholders that the APC remained committed to giving the South-East a stronger sense of belonging within the party.

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National Woman Leader, Dr Mary Idele, described the reconciliation mission as urgent, warning that the elections were fast approaching and the party could no longer afford internal divisions, reminding members that a house divided against itself cannot stand.

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The peace parley provided members of both factions with the opportunity to air their positions, with the committee promising that every contribution would form part of its report to the APC's national leadership in Abuja for appropriate action.