'ENUGU IS SICK AND NEEDS STRONG DOSE OF APC' - APC SOUTH EAST REPLIES CHIME

The All Progressives Congress has slammed Enugu State Governor,
Sullivan Chime over his statement that the All Progressives Congress
were not welcome in his domain and that President Jonathan need not
worry about the support of the electorate come 2015.
"We pledge our total support and loyalty to the PDP and President
Jonathan. We support him and his programmes. We wish to assure him
that so long as he is in the race for 2015 presidency, he should not
bother coming to Enugu State to campaign… We don't need APC here, so
he is sure of our support", Chime was quoted as saying.
However he was rebuffed by Chief Osita Okechukwu, the South East
spokesperson for the APC.
Okechukwu said in a statement, "On the endorsement of President
Jonathan before he declares, may we ask the governor to mention which
project Mr President has executed in Enugu State 3 years down the
line, for we regrettably remember the empty promises he made to our
good people.
"Contrary to the self-serving and dictatorial speech of Gov Chime,
during the swearing in ceremony of the undemocratically imposed local
council chairmen, the APC South East states unequivocally that Enugu
State is sick and needs enough dosage of APC post 2015 general
elections.
"We are at a loss why Gov Chime, a senior lawyer will be celebrating
the hand-picking of the 17 local government chairmen and
coCouncillors, contrary to the provision of the law and core tenets of
democracy, when he deliberately manipulated Dr Emma Eneh led Enugu
State Electoral Commission to disqualify APC and APGA candidates with
flimsy excuses.
"Some of the candidates were disqualified for paying taxes outside
Enugu State, as if none of our sons and daughters reside outside the
state or do business outside the state."
Continuing on, the party asked, "Why was Governor Chime afraid to use
the election to test the ground before deceiving President Goodluck
Jonathan not to bother to campaign at Enugu? Enough of such cheap
deception."
It noted that "We could have used this forum to expose how the
Electoral Commission conducted the sham and so called local council
election, but for the fact that the matter is before the court and as
true democrats, we do not want to be contemptuous of the court.
"We need to remind Governor Chime that the good people of Enugu State
are keeping records of the billions streaming into Enugu State
treasury and so far the job done is not commensurate with funds
collected.
"We have already queried Governor Chime over the misplaced priority,
bogus and untidy manner of the award of new Enugu State Secretariat, a
matter receiving due attention at EFCC", the statement added.