Ugo Agballah emerges Chairman, Enugu APC against opposition by party chiefs, Ken Nnamani, Sullivan Chime

A former Commissioner for Works in Enugu state, Barr. Ugochukwu Agballah, Saturday swept the polls to clinch the state chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the state congress of the party.

Agballah, who hails from Enugu West senatorial district, recorded the landslide victory through the option A4 system beating two other contestants.

Agballah, a former governorship candidate in the state, defeated former military governor of Gombe State, Group Captain Joe Orji and Chief Paul Omeje to emerge victorious.

However, Group Capt. Orji was absent at the venue of the Congress, Destiny Event Centre, Independence Layout Enugu.

Chief Paul Omeje was a cross contestant who came from a zone (Enugu North) that the chairmanship was not zoned to.

Agballah’s victory came against serious opposition by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and former Enugu State Governor, Barr Sullivan Chime.

Both stalwarts threw their weight behind Group Capt. Orji, but during the congress, more than 95 percent of the delegates queued behind Agballah, including delegates believed to have been earlier supporting other aspirants.

It is expected that the delegates would tow the line of the chairmanship contest for election into the other positions.

Agballlah’s supporters had formed a U-form queue measuring over 300 metres on either side.

The returning officer of the congress, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, had earlier announced the directive of the party’s national leadership for the congress to proceed, despite attempts, by some state leaders who sensed Agballah’s impending victory, to postpone the congress.

Arodiogbu expressed satisfaction with the process.

Meanwhile, a suspended former chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye was still holding a parallel congress at another venue as at the time of filing this report.

The state chapter of the party had recently announced the suspension of Nwoye as Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, and his replacement on acting capacity, with his deputy, Chief Chikwado Chukwunta.

But Nwoye had insisted that his suspension was illegal.