The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State is once again in turmoil, and at the heart of the storm is Dr. Ben Nwoye, the outspoken former state chairman of the party. In recent weeks, Nwoye has been the target of renewed attacks—some subtle, others barefaced—from political rivals inside the APC. But beneath the mudslinging lies a bigger question: who is afraid of Ben Nwoye, and why?
For over a decade, Nwoye has been a polarising figure in Enugu politics. As the pioneer chairman of APC in the state, he planted the party’s flag in hostile territory dominated by the PDP. Love him or loathe him, his fiery personality ensured the APC was never invisible, even when it lacked electoral victories. To many party loyalists, Nwoye remains the face of resilience; to his detractors, he is a stumbling block in their quest to takeover the structure of the party.
The fresh round of attacks cannot be divorced from the growing speculation that Governor Peter Mbah may, in due course, pitch his tent with the APC. Such a political move would dramatically alter the landscape in Enugu, offering the APC its first real shot at power since inception. Yet, it would also trigger a brutal scramble for control of the party structure, as factions position themselves for the governor’s possible entry while the pack led by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Uche Nnaji believes the governor’s entry will put an end to their own ambition.
This is where Nwoye becomes a threat. As a former chairman with deep ties to both the grassroots and the national leadership, his influence cannot be easily erased. For certain entrenched interests within the Enugu APC—particularly those who have long sought to sideline him—his visibility is an inconvenience. Attacking him, therefore, is less about his past leadership style and more about clearing the field ahead of a looming realignment.
Within the party, two factions are most visible. On one side are those loyal to the Minister and his allies, who fear that Nwoye’s resurgence could weaken their grip on the structure. On the other side are Nwoye’s supporters, who argue that without his bold voice and institutional memory, the APC risks being swallowed by PDP defectors and reduced to a mere appendage of Governor Mbah’s political machinery.
But even those criticisms must contend with one reality; for all the party’s internal wrangling, no other figure has given APC a louder voice in Enugu than Nwoye.
The bigger danger for the APC is not Nwoye’s personality, but its chronic disunity. If Governor Mbah does eventually cross over, the party will either rise to the opportunity or collapse under factional greed. And if it collapses, the blame will not lie with one man alone, but with a political class too consumed with personal battles to see the bigger prize.
So, who’s afraid of Ben Nwoye? The answer lies not in his words or actions, but in what his continued relevance represents—a reminder that in Enugu politics, power is never given, it is fiercely contested.
