A major crisis is brewing within the Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following allegations by party chieftains that Senator Dr. Uche Ekwunife and Hon. Nze Chidi Duru are working to derail the forthcoming party congresses, a move they claim could further weaken and possibly destroy the party in the state.
The allegations were contained in an open petition addressed to the National Chairman of the APC and copied to all members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
The petition was read to journalists in Awka on Sunday by a former Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Mike Ugwa.
The petition was also copied to the Chairman of the APC Convention Coordination Committee, H.E. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, CFR, and the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, H.E. Senator Pius Anyim, GCON.
According to the petitioners, the party’s survival in Anambra State depends on conducting an all-inclusive, open, free, and fair congress.
They warned that any attempt to retain the current party executives, as allegedly being planned, would spell the end of the APC in the state.
“We demand an all-inclusive, open, free, and fair congress in Anambra State—nothing more, nothing less,” the petition stated.
Speaking on behalf of what he described as the overwhelming majority of APC members across the 21 local government areas of Anambra State, Ugwa said the petitioners are appealing to the national leadership to ensure that the upcoming congresses allow every party member the freedom to contest for any position of his choice.
He described the APC in Anambra State as moribund and in urgent need of reorganization and reinvigoration, noting that the current executives at ward, local government, and state levels have become inactive and ineffective.
He attributed this failure to the party’s poor showing in the 2023 presidential election, during which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly secured only 5,111 votes in the state.
According to him, for the APC to make meaningful political inroads in Anambra State ahead of the 2027 general elections, and for the party to regain relevance, it is imperative that entirely new executives be elected at all levels.
He further noted that since the 2023 presidential election, the APC in Anambra State has witnessed a massive influx of new members from other political parties— whom now outnumbering the original members.
He argued that these new entrants must be accommodated in the party’s leadership structure to give them a sense of belonging and prevent further defections, particularly given the political influence of Mr. Peter Obi, who hails from Anambra State.
Ugwa alleged that despite these realities, Senator Ekwunife and Hon. Duru are determined to undermine the forthcoming congresses and destabilize the party.
He recalled that during an expanded caucus meeting of the APC Anambra State held on February 4, 2026, at Amor Hotels & Suites, Abuja, stakeholders unanimously resolved that the congresses in Anambra State must be open, free, and fair, with all members allowed to vie for any position.
Following that meeting, a committee chaired by Senator Ekwunife was constituted to harmonize ward and local government congresses and make recommendations to the state caucus for deliberation and adoption.
However, Ugwa described as regrettable that Senator Ekwunife and Hon. Duru allegedly chose to act against the collective decision of the caucus.
“Contrary to the resolution of the Anambra State caucus, these individuals issued statements endorsing the current party executives to remain in office for another four years, insisting that there would be no open, free, and fair congresses in the state,” he said.
He accused the duo of pursuing selfish interests rather than the growth of the party, citing the party’s poor electoral performance in Hon. Duru’s polling unit, where APC reportedly secured only four votes during the 2025 governorship election.
The petitioners further declared that Senator Ekwunife, despite being a member of the National Congress Committee, and Hon. Duru do not represent the collective interest of APC members in Anambra State.
They insisted that any list of party executives submitted by them should be outrightly rejected.
Ugwa warned that any attempt to perpetuate the current party executives in office would further damage the APC’s prospects in the state.
He appealed to the national leadership to use its authority to ensure that the forthcoming congresses in Anambra State comply fully with Article 20 of the APC Constitution (2022, as amended), guaranteeing open participation for all qualified members.
In his opening remarks, Ugwa stated that the current party executives, elected about eight years ago, have failed to win a single election at any level, including local government contests, accusing them of prioritizing personal interests over party building.
He cautioned that retaining the current leadership would only accelerate the party’s decline in the state.
Also speaking at the briefing, Hon. Kene Nzekwe, a former adviser to the governor on Internally Generated Revenue, echoed similar concerns, noting that the APC has failed to win elections in Anambra State under the present leadership, while smaller parties have recorded electoral victories.
“We cannot continue deceiving ourselves. We want to take the party back to the people,” Nzekwe said.
He recalled that the APC once won six seats in the Anambra State House of Assembly and one Senate seat as an opposition party, but lamented that under the current leadership, the party can no longer win even a councillorship seat anywhere in the state.
The press briefing was attended by several party stakeholders, including Chief Peter Nwaedozie, an APC state chairmanship aspirant; Hon. Bright Osemeka, former Chairman of Onitsha North Local Government Area; and other party leaders.
