The Enugu State Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Sebastine Chukwuebuka Okafor, has cautioned aggrieved members of the party against dragging respected party chieftain and human capital development expert, Chief Dr. Mathias Omeh, into the ongoing leadership crisis rocking the party.
Reacting on Monday to a recent publication reportedly issued by more than 80 aggrieved aspirants led by Sir SKC Ogbonnia, Dr. Okafor described the inclusion of Chief Omeh among those allegedly responsible for the crisis as unfair, misleading and an attempt to shift blame from those directly involved.
According to him, the issues raised by the aggrieved aspirants stemmed from decisions taken by members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), insisting that Chief Omeh neither initiated nor influenced the actions now being challenged.
He maintained that Chief Omeh has consistently championed dialogue, reconciliation and unity within the party and should not be made a scapegoat for decisions taken by others.
“The matters being complained about were decisions and actions taken by members of the National Working Committee of the party, and not by Chief Dr. Mathias Omeh, who has consistently advocated dialogue, reconciliation, and unity among party stakeholders,” he said.
Dr. Okafor described Chief Omeh as one of the most respected leaders of the NDC, whose contributions to political development and human capacity building have earned him widespread admiration among party faithful in Enugu State.
He stressed that while party members have every constitutional right to challenge perceived injustices, such grievances should be pursued through the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms or the courts, rather than through media campaigns capable of damaging the reputation of innocent leaders.
Speaking on his personal relationship with Chief Omeh, Dr. Okafor recounted how the political leader played a defining role in shaping both his academic and political journey.
“Chief Dr. Mathias Omeh is one of the individuals who shaped my political journey when I met him after the registration of APC. He was the one who encouraged me to seek admission into ESUT after a series of failed admission attempts to UNN and UI. He stood by me at different stages of my life and encouraged my educational pursuit until I earned my PhD. I will not tolerate attempts to malign his character because an attack on him is, to me, an attack on everything he invested in my growth, even when we currently disagree on NDC affairs,” he stated.
The state secretary urged party members to refrain from dragging respected leaders into disputes in which they played no role, calling instead for collective efforts to reposition the party ahead of future political contests.
“Politics should be guided by facts, responsibility, and respect for due process. We must not allow emotions or disappointment to push us into making allegations that cannot be substantiated,” he said.
Dr. Okafor further reaffirmed the commitment of the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led leadership of the NDC in Enugu State to peace, reconciliation and internal democracy.
He appealed to aspirants, candidates and other stakeholders to desist from cyberbullying, personal attacks and inflammatory publications capable of deepening divisions within the party.
“The NDC belongs to all of us. Differences are inevitable in every political organisation, but they must be managed with maturity, discipline, and respect for constituted authority. Our focus should be on building a stronger party rather than engaging in campaigns of character assassination,” he added.
Dr. Okafor also reaffirmed his support for the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led state executive, disclosing that the leadership remained determined to pursue its legal challenge over the party’s leadership in Enugu State to the Supreme Court in a bid to seek justice and resist what he described as attempts to impose a leadership on the party.
