Can Friday Nwanozie Nwosu fix Abia APC?

When Senator Abdullahi Adamu, National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, told the Abia State chapter to fix its issues, he was not specific enough that the assignment rested on Friday Nwanozie Nwosu, the party’s highest-ranking officer in the state. But those who understand the nuanced instruction know.

Abia APC has been bisected by factions, infractions, and emphases that clearly depart from any meaningful efforts to unite the party. At any time one requires more than the fingers of one’s hand to number the factions which increase as the election season rounds the corner.

Nwosu has always played above the fray since joining the party in 2018 from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where his governorship attempts were spurned. The matter went all the way to the Supreme Court. He left.

He weighed his options before joining APC where his efforts to secure the party’s nomination for the governorship of Abia State was once again truncated by forces in the party sympathetic to the PDP and the incumbent government in Abia State. He decided that building steadfast party structures would cure chaotic challenges that he faced in party primaries.

According to the lawyer who has handled tough legal matters, “poor organisation, disregard for the law, impunity, are the bane of political parties in Nigeria. People are above the law without consequences”.

Last March he won election to the Office of the National Welfare Secretary of APC which makes him a member of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, with his turf covering matters many do not realise their importance. He deals with welfare matters, those omnibus issues that sometimes are not pin-pointed.

Functions of the Office of the National Welfare Secretary are in Article 14.12 of the party’s Constitution – a. Responsibility for protocols and logistics of the party b. Promotion of the general welfare of party members and other functions as assigned to him by the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee. The summary is that all protocols, all logistics and all welfare of party members in rest on his office.

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His commitment to these responsibilities has been indicated. “I declined the position of deputy governorship candidate in APC. I turned it down since I have decided on a new direction in my politics. I can serve the party and by extension the state through party administration.

“The structures I used in running for the governorship of Abia State on two occasions are still intact and I will make them available to the party and its governorship candidate, Ikechi Emenike,” he said

Nwosu is the highest-ranking member of the party in Abia and one of its NWC members from the five states of the South East. The APC Chairman looks up to him for resolutions of the issues, most of which preceded his joining APC in 2018.

“Our party members elected me to the position because they know my capacity. They know how deep my roots are with our people in Abia. I am approaching the assignment with the same convictions with which I approach responsibilities,” the former police officer who pulled himself from the straps of his shoes to read law, said.

“My current interests are in rebuilding our party whether at the national or state level. The unity of the party in Abia is important for us to be taken serious when we speak at the national level,” he further said.

Crisis is another name for the party in Abia. The various factions insist on recognitions and the attendant appointments that go with them. Outside forces easily distract the party from within.

“We need to dig deeper,” Nwosu said, “to be sure we are not treating the wrong symptoms of the crises. We will have to look beyond the obvious this time.

“The elections are by the corner. There is no time to waste on quarrels. My advice is that all of us have to agree to place the interest of the party above personal desires.

“Sacrifices have to be made if we are to unite. It is obvious that these matters are beyond court judgements. We have had the judgements but the troubles persist.”

Nwosu said the resolution of the disagreements was more important than sharing and shifting blames. “All the warring parties will get a fair hearing. We owe that to ourselves and our party,” he said.

Where others see only the bad sides of the crisis Nwosu said there were opportunities to explore while resolving it. “I look forward to the outcomes strengthening our party. We can also set a model for the other States on dealing with their internal affairs. A united APC is our best arsenal going into the election,” he said.

“Our chances in the elections are bright. They would be brighter when we resolve our issues quickly.”
An unamused National Chairman had told Abia APC’s warring factions weeks back that the crisis was theirs to resolve.

“Go home and decide on your matter. Let us know what you decided,” Senator Adamu said.

Nwosu is a legal practitioner of repute who has won very high profile cases in the superior courts in Nigeria. His dexterity in litigation and astute advocacy helped keep two State Governors in office on a roll though the cases looked very helpless.

He is a Knight of the Catholic Order of St Mulumba and the Chief Solicitor of the Catholic Diocese of Aba.