Loading ...By Chuks Eke
The newly inaugurated Chairman of Anambra state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Ifeanyichukwu Osegbo has pledged to deliver the Presidential candidate of the party, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu during the 2027 general election in the state.
Osegbo who disclosed this on Sunday at the state party Secretariat, Awka during his inauguration to take over the mantle of leadership from Senator Emma Anosike who was sacked from office on June 24, 2026 by an Abuja Federal High Court, said all hands must also be on deck to deliver all the candidates of the party for both the Senate, House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly.
The court had in sacking Anosike, based on petitions from some executive members of the party in the state, including the state Treasurer and House of Representatives candidate for Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Hon. Arinzechukwu Awogu, reaffirmed Osegbo who was Deputy to the former Chief Basil Ejidike-led executive that handed cover to Senator Anosike, as the substantive chairman of the party in the state.
Awogu had in his own petition to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Chairman of Anambra/Imo River Basin Development Authority, AIRBDA, alleged that Anosike has 25 bank accounts in different banks where he diverted funds meant for the party in the state to his private accounts, without his consent as the state treasurer or other executive members.
Specifically, Awogu alleged that as the state treasurer of the party, he discovered that Anosike diverted a whooping sum of N1.5 billion into these bank accounts without the consent of other party executive members, adding that the discovery has further raised vista into the obscured character and dealings of the sacked APC chairman.
Sources said that the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the financial intelligence unit responsible for collecting and analyzing disclosures from reporting organizations, in order to produce financial intelligence to other agencies combating money laundering, terrorism financing, and other financial crimes have also waded into the case.
A matter that started like a normal disagreement between two party leaders degenerated into a fiasco with the two gladiators going for each others jugular. Sen. Emma Anosike had written a petition to the office of the Inspector General of Police accusing the State Treasurer of the party, Sir Arinzechukwu Awogu, of cyberstalking and Sir Awogu, while honoring the invitation of the Inspector General of Police called for the investigation of Sen. Anosike, the former chairman of the party, over misappropriation of N1.5billion party funds.
The EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were said to have been provided with graphic details of Sen. Emma Anosike’s party funds meddling, leading to further shocking revelations.
Meanwhile, APC National secretariat staff, who were involved in the screening and conduct of APC State Assembly Primaries in the 30 state constituencies in Anambra State have come out to say that Sen. Emma Anosike has not paid them their entitlements even when provisions were elaborately made.
Protesting at the National secretariat in Abuja, one of the affected secretariat staff said: “We came to Anambra State as secretariat staff for the State Assembly Primaries and after the primaries, Anosike asked us to go back that he will send our money but uptill this moment we have not seen any money. We have been calling the candidates to help us beg senator to release our money but nothing has happened.”
While the secretariat staff were lamenting, some of the APC State Assembly candidates bemoaned the level of extortion they were subjected to during the process of obtaining Nomination and Expression of interest forms at the Awka, party secretariat, and wished there could be a review.
Meanwhile, the 25 bank accounts belonging to Sen. Emma Anosike, the Chairman of Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority (AIRBDA) and the sacked former Anambra State chairman of APC are currently being combed by anti-graft agencies as well as the accounts of his cronies and some members of the former state executive.
At the inauguration of Osegbo, the new chairman of the party in the state, political atmosphere was full of excitement, solidarity and jubilation galore.
The ceremony witnessed large turnout of party members from different wards to state levels that gathered to display their genuine commitment and support to Chief Osegbo as their authentic State party Chairman.
In their seperate speeches, the message from different speakers at the occasion remain vow to restrengthen the party structures from polling units to state level,also secure victory for party candidates in next year general election, they further stated that the APC under the leadership of Chief Ifeanyi Osegbo have the required capacity and political strength to take the party to greater heights.
The party leaders also expressed optimism that they have capacity to deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other APC candidates in 2027 since the party is now more united and stronger in Anambra State.
Osegbo also pledged to set up truth and reconciliation committee, election planning committee and other committees to ensure that a new Anambra AOC is truly born with complete reconciliation, sacrifice, hope and renewed vigour where justice, equity and compassionate leadership will become the order of the day.
