Aggrieved aspirants under the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Enugu State, have been cautioned against involving a respected democrat and human capital development expert, Chief Dr. Mathias Omeh, in the expression of any grievances arising from the internal affairs of the party.
The State Secretary of the party, Dr. Sebastine Chukwuebuka Okafor, gave the warning on Monday while reacting to a recent publication allegedly issued by over 80 aspirants, led by Sir SKC Ogbonnia, in which the name of Chief Dr. Mathias Omeh was mentioned among those accused of contributing to the crisis within the party.
Dr. Okafor described the inclusion of Chief Omeh’s name in the publication as unfair, misleading, and an attempt to shift responsibility from those directly connected with the issues confronting the party.
According to him, 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 stated that Chief Dr. Omeh remains one of the respected leaders of the NDC whose contributions to political development and capacity building have earned him the admiration of many party faithful across Enugu State.
The State Secretary noted that while every party member has the constitutional right to seek redress over perceived injustices, such complaints should be pursued through established internal dispute resolution mechanisms or the courts, rather than through media attacks capable of damaging the reputation of innocent party leaders.
Dr. Okafor also spoke on his personal relationship with Chief Mathias Omeh, saying the political leader played a significant role in his personal and academic growth.
“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 urged members to avoid dragging respected leaders into disputes in which they played no role and instead channel their energies toward strengthening the party ahead of future political engagements.
“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.”
Dr. Okafor maintained that the leadership of the Enugu State chapter led by Dr Johnpaul Anih remains committed to peace, internal democracy, and reconciliation among members.
He called on all aspirants, candidates and stakeholders to refrain from cyber bullying, personal attacks, and publications capable of creating unnecessary 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 also reiterated his total support for the state leadership of the party, led by Dr. Johnpaul Anih, and said they are ready to take their legal battle over the party’s leadership in Enugu State to the apex court to seek justice and stop imposition.
