The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu state has suspended former Senator Chuka Utazi over alleged anti-party activities.
Utazi, who served as senator for Enugu North from 2015 to 2023 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to the APC in 2024.
However, a letter addressed to the state APC chairman, Ugochukwu Agballah, announced his suspension following a petition from his Nkpologu Ward.
The letter, signed by Uzo-Uwani APC Chairman Chief Chris Ajodo, Secretary Hon. Pius Diara, and Nkpologu Ward Chairman Hon. Albert Aniebonam, cited Utazi’s alleged involvement in PDP activities, including attending PDP zonal meetings and endorsing Governor Peter Mbah for a second term in 2027.
He was also accused of granting media interviews that allegedly blackmailed and de-marketed the APC in Enugu state, among other infractions.
“These allegations were backed up by online video evidences as the case may be,” the party officials stated in the notification letter, which was also copied to the leader of the party in the state, minister of innovation science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji.
The party officials further clarified, “On receipt of the said complaint, the local government on 8/4/2025 setup a three-man disciplinary committee which notified the senator of the petition and duly invited him to appear before the disciplinary body.
“The invitation was however ignored by the respondent. The above notwithstanding, the committee carried out a thorough investigation of the allegations and came out with a verdict of “guilt”.
“The committee found the conduct of Senator Utazi highly disappointing, repugnant and unbecoming of a bona fide member of APC, and hence, recommended his indefinite suspension from the party.”
Meanwhile, a former state chairman of the party, Ben Nwoye, has resigned his membership of the party over what he described as continuous act of injustice and lack of rule of law in the state chapter of the party.
Addressing a press conference in Enugu, Nwoye, a foundation member of the party, stated that the core values for which it was formed years ago had been abandoned.
He stated that there is no unity and peace in the party in his state, explaining that the party’s symbol “broom” has been seriously “scattered” in the state.
“With deep sense of responsibility I write to inform you that I hereby resign as a member of All Progressives Congress. My resignation is as a result of disintegration of the leadership of party in Enugu State.
“The bunch of “Broom” which we painstakingly tied together in 2013 at a time when we were called unprintable names has loosened and permanently scattered. All efforts made by the party elders to gather the “Broom” and reassemble it has failed. In its current form, further attempts to reassemble the “Broom” in Enugu State is no longer practicable”.
He continued: “What is left of the “Broom” are two skeletal structures. One of each structures is held by two strong men. One of the strong men claims Chairmanship by judicial pronouncement. While the other claims Chairmanship through arrogant disobedient of the same judicial pronouncement aided by the silent approval of the National Leadership
“The leadership of the party in South East are fully engaged in vindictive politics. They are not interested in adding another State to the two States the party controls in the South East. As far as they are concerned, the supremacy of the party is measured by how low they can go to oppress their perceived political enemies. These they do, without recourse to the core principles upon which APC stands -Justice, Peace and Unity. To say the least, the Zonal leadership in the South East has lost direction.”
Nwoye said that the APC National Leadership had maintained willful blindness to issues in the party in the state, hence “allowing the warring factions to self-destruct and strangulate the party in Enugu State.
“To worsen the situation, the APC National leadership treats party elders’ calls for reconciliation with disdain and disrespect. Loyal party members calling for party unity are treated like conquered and captured political warriors.
“On the basis stated above, I engaged in extensive consultations with my grassroots followers and I have come to the conclusion that it is time to move on,” he added.
