Ndigbo in Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reaffirmed Mr Joe Igbokwe, former special adviser to the governor on drainage and water resources, as their authentic apex leader.
The affirmation followed a call by another Igbo group in the party last Friday on Igbokwe to step down as the leader of Ndi Igbo in the party.
The group led by Mr Uche Dimgba had at a news conference held in Lagos alleged that Igbokwe was incompetent and lacked coordination.
Dimgba said the body needed a more competent leader that could spearhead its political activities to achieve progress.
The group said Igbokwe’s inability to mobilise people, especially at the grassroots had hampered the Ndi Igbo from securing victory for the party in the last general elections and that attitude could no longer be overlooked.
At another press briefing held to counter it, the state coordinator of Igbo in APC, Chief Chris Ekwilo, said Igbokwe remains the apex leader and the face of Ndigbo in Lagos State politics.
Ekwilo said Igbokwe had done well in representing Ndigbo in the last cabinet of Governor Sanwo-Olu and the people are solidly behind him.
“We wish to draw the attention of the general public, and our Party Leadership both at the state and federal levels that Mr. Uche Dimgba has been removed as the state Coordinator of Ndigbo in APC Lagos State. He went ahead to form what he calls ‘Authentic Ndigbo ‘in APC Lagos State.
“We intend to use this medium to alert the public of his mischievous intention to malign our apex leader Engr Joe Igbokwe. The general public should disregard any thing he does since he is no longer representing Ndigbo in APC Lagos State.
“Mr. Uche Dimgba was relieved of his duties as the state Co-ordinator on the 14th of January, 2023 and was replaced by his Deputy, High Chief Chris Ekwilo as the state coordinator.
“We wish to state herein that High Chief Chris Ekwilo JP is at present the state coordinator of Ndigbo in APC, Lagos State and that any write up from this disgraced leader should be disregarded.
“We also intend to state herein that Mr. Uche Dimgba was removed from office based on his activities towards the party when we discovered that his loyalty was questionable,” he said.
