The Youths Vanguard of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State has called on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, led by its National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to immediately withdraw all assistance given to the party's gubernatorial flag bearer in the State, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji, over alleged anti-party activities and acts inconsistent with his mandate.

In a communiqué signed by its president, Comrade Chuks Obeh, and Secretary, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwakpa, the group accused Ogbuoji of been responsible for the withdrawal and defection of the 12 APC House of Assembly candidates from the race to join the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The group alleged that the abysmal performance of the party in the state during the Presidential and National Assembly elections was because Ogbuoji had completely “annihilated” members and stakeholders of the party.

They hinted that since Ogbuoji defected from the PDP to the APC in the state, the fortunes of the party had become paralysed and dampened which led to the loss of all the National Assembly seats in the state during the last election.

The group said: “It is with deep sense of concern that we, the members of Ebonyi State APC Youths Vanguard considered it most expedient to raise alarm on the urgent need to rescue our Party in Ebonyi State.

“Since its merger, the APC has not witnessed catastrophic misfortunes as it witnessed in recent time during the electioneering.

“Without mincing words, it was not hidden that the fortunes of APC in Ebonyi State were very bright and hopeful, to the extent that people looked on the party for purposeful leadership.

“However, we feel pained that since the Senator Soni Ogbuoji decamped from the PDP to APC; the fortunes of APC in Ebonyi State has taken a nosedive and tumbled disgracefully as witnessed during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

“Ogbuoji has brought bad luck and nemesis on APC in Ebonyi State and we can’t afford to harbour such character that has brought anguish and plague on our party and so Ogbuoji stands disowned from Ebonyi APC. Without doubt, the actions of Ogbuoji have affected the party that led to its cataclysmic defeat, a situation that dampened the efforts of other candidates.

“During the primaries, Ogbuoji was not the popular candidate for the governorship seat but he bribed his way and circumvented the process which caused infractions between party leaders and candidates.

“We are pained that despite appeals and entreaties from leaders of our party in the state and zone for him to restore popular candidates that won their primaries but he brazenly neglected it and we feel that if Ogbuoji was reasonable as we had expected, he ought to have taken practical steps to reconcile members and candidates of the party who were aggrieved and those shortchanged, rather most of our leaders and top-notch left the party because of Ogbuoji’s highhandedness and lack of coordination.

“This, however, lent credence to insinuations that Ogbuoji covertly worked for some National Assembly members of the PDP in Ebonyi State during the February 23 elections which led to the colossal defeat of our party.”

The group called the national leadership of APC and party leaders not to take Ogbuoji’s aspiration seriously as he may have secret understanding with the PDP leadership in the state to frustrate all the fortunes and effort of APC candidates in the general elections.

Ebonyi State APC Youths Vanguard added: “It still baffles us why some leaders of our party could quit because since Ogbuoji got the governorship ticket of the party, he has completely abandoned and schemed them out, without any informal or formal cooperation.

“We are aware that all Senator Ogbuoji is looking for is Election Support fund from the party which he intends to divert, having not campaigned anywhere or displayed any seriousness that he is actually running any election to win, for we feel that nothing positive can come out of a gubernatorial candidate that lost his ward and local government to other political parties in the state.”

The group also called on the supporters of APC in the state to keep hope alive on the party and support the change agenda of the President Buhari administration.

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