Ebonyi APC Exonerates Buhari After He Appointed a ‘Dead Man’ As Member of Character Commission

The Ebonyi state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken the blame for the appointment of a dead member of the party, Tobias Okwuru, as a member of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The party in a press conference by its state Chairman, Eze Nwachukwu on Wednesday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital said the deceased was ‘a living man, hale and hearty’ as at January this year when his name was submitted to Buhari for the position but failed to notify the relevant authorities after his demise.

“Okwuru was nominated ‘a living man’ in January, healthy, hearty for the position and he updated and submitted all his necessary curriculum vitae by himself.

“What happened is that in-between his nomination and letter conveying his nomination to the Senate, Okwuru painfully and sadly answered the ultimate call.

“We accept responsibility and take the blame because as a party we are supposed to have written the national leadership of our party and the Presidency informing them on the demise of Chief Okwuru as a ranking party member.

“But unfortunately, the family has not made the death official and has not commenced burial arrangements before the Coronavirus pandemic that led to lockdown, ban on burial and other social gatherings.

“So, it is the responsibility of the party to put the record straight and that is why we are using this medium to correct the erroneous impression.

“It is not the fault of Mr President and the Presidency that Okwuru’s name later appeared in the nominees’ list.

“It is the fault of the party in Ebonyi for not informing relevant authorities on the death and we accept full responsibility whole-heatedly even though it is not intentional or deliberate, but rather caused by what I have enumerated above.

“We want to put it clear that that Mr President has not appointed any ‘dead man’ from Ebonyi,” Nwachukwu explained.

The late Okwuru, represented Ezza South/Ikwo constituency in the House of Representatives and also served as Chief Whip in the Ebonyi House of Assembly on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).