Ahead of the 2027 general elections, some concerned members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State have disowned a former Governor of the state, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and his collaborators, over their purported endorsement of a zoning arrangement in the state, favouring the re-election of Governor Peter Mba of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2027.
They said Nwodo and his collaborators cannot be called leaders of ADC, until they resign officially from their various parties to join ADC.
Nwodo, a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji and 2023 Labour Party (LP) Deputy Governorship candidate in the State, John Nwokeabia, reportedly participated in the meeting at Nwodo's Enugu residence, where the endorsement was made.
Reacting to the development, the concerned ADC members from the three senatorial zones of Enugu State, distanced themselves from the endorsement, which came on the heels of the endorsement of Governor Mba by Nwodo in an interview with Arise TV.
Their position was contained in a press release that they circulated to the media electronically on Sunday.
The press release was signed by Idoko Festus for Enugu North senatorial district, Hon. Emeka Okoh (Enugu West) and Chief Ogbodo Nwagu (Enugu East).
Stating their position, the ADC concerned members challenged Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo to come out clean and say where he belongs, rather than working for APC in Enugu and ADC in Abuja.
They aligned themselves with the position of an Nsukka socio-cultural organisation, Bridge Consortium, which warned that such a deceptive strategy of playing both sides, if allowed, could weaken the ADC from its base.
The press release read in part: “Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, Professor Barth Nnaji and John Nwokeabia cannot be called leaders of ADC in Enugu State until they resign from their parties. For now, they have not done so.
"Others who joined ADC resigned from their former parties. Comrade A. C Ude and Lolo Queen Nwankwo, the pioneer Deputy Chairman of APC and Women Leader respectively, resigned from APC. Others who resigned from APC include the 2023 Enugu East senatorial candidate, Princess Ada Ogbu, the pioneer Youth Leader, Ikechukwu Oloto, former governorship aspirant, Ocho Obodoeze and former House of Assembly candidate, McDonald Okwor. Senator Gilbert Nnaji resigned from PDP.
"So, until Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and his collaborators resign from their parties, they are not members of ADC.
“Nwodo is supporting Mba and pretending to be part of ADC. What else is double standard? As concerned members of ADC in Enugu State, we totally disagree with the zoning arrangement put forward by Nwodo and his collaborators.
“Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo should come out clean and say where he belongs. If he is ADC, he should be ADC in full. He should not be both APC and ADC. We are aware that his son is still in the government of APC. His wife is in the APC government also. He cannot be part of APC and deciding for ADC where to zone offices.
"Hence, we disagree with any zoning arrangement that he is concocting to favour the government in power in Enugu State.”
The concerned ADC members stated unequivocally that they will wait for the two national officers from the state, Kenneth Okonkwo esq., a member of National Working Committee (NWC), and Hon. Fidel Ayogu, to issue a directive on the zoning arrangement.
They maintained that they cannot listen to somebody who calls himself an ADC leader, but is working for APC in Enugu State and working for ADC, only in Abuja.
“The two national officers happen to come from Enugu North senatorial district like Nwodo. We will wait for them to give us the directive on zoning. We will not listen to any mole,” they stated.
