By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Chairman of Anambra State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Basil Ejidike, on Thursday dissociated the state chapter from a comment recently made by the Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on Channels Television.

The told a press conference in Awka said that what Ngige said was his personal opinion as he never represented the party during the interview.

Ngige had in an interview programme on Channels Television hesitated to endorse his party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

Ngige, who is a notable member of the ruling APC while responding to a question said he would make his choice of presidential candidate known on his ballot paper, not on television.

He said: “I’m not active in politics for now because I am facing national assignment.”

On his preference between APC candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi, he said: “Both of them are my friends. My choice will be in the ballot box. It is a secret ballot. I shouldn’t tell Nigerians what I would do secretly.”

But the state chairman in his reaction to Ngige’s comment said: “The party has nothing to do with what the Minister said on the Channels Television.

“Ngige never said he represented the party during the interview and whatever he said was personal and does not reflect the position of the party in Anambra state.”

Ejidike however expressed worry over the activities of the former State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Okelo Madukaife, who has allegedly been parading himself as the party’s spokesman “when he is not a member”.

Ejidike stressed that Okelo had been sacked by the party since 2021 and replaced with one Valentine Oliobi as the substantive Publicity Secretary of the party in the state.

He added: “If the former National Chairman of the party Adams Oshiomole could step aside, I don’t know why Okelo Madukaife is still parading himself as the Publicity Secretary of state APC.

“He was suspended on July 2021 for anti-party activities. As a chairman of the party, I am not aware that Okelo has been re-admitted into the party. He is not a member of Anambra State APC.”