Foreign Minister Onyeama Denies Being Suspended  from APC for Refusing to Lead US Campaign against Peter Obi

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama has denied that he was suspended from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for refusing to embark on a campaign of blackmail against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi.

There have been several reports on social media after his suspension by the Enugu State Chapter of the APC. 

He was reported to have refused traveling to the United States to launch a “campaign of calumny” against the defeated presidential candidate of the LP, who is in court to reclaim the presidential ticket he claim to have won at the last election.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday signed by its spokesperson, Mrs. Francisca Omayuli read that: “The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a story circulating on social media that the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Geoffrey Onyeama has been suspended by his Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) because as alleged, “he was sent to the United States to blackmail Peter Obi, and he declined the request.”

The statement added that: “The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs states that there is no iota of truth to the mischievous allegations.

“The General Public is therefore, called upon to disregard the story.”

 The Enugu State secretary of the party, Robert Ngwu, at a press conference in Enugu last Thursday had announced the suspension of former Governor Sullivan Chime; former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Eugene Odoh; Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu; former commissioner for Tourism, Ozor Joe Mmamel; Special Assistant to Foreign Affairs Minister, Flavour Eze; and former House of Representatives candidate in 2019, Maduka Arum.

The party had earlier expelled the former chairman of APC in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye and a former deputy state chairman of the party, Mr. AC Udeh.  Ngwu at the end of the party’s SEC meeting, presented the report of the party’s Disciplinary and Fact Finding Committee, recommendations which he said were ratified by the State Executive Council, SEC, during her meeting.

While the party accused Nnamani and Chime of openly endorsing and campaigning for the governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr. Peter Mbah and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama  were accused of campaigning for the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, and worked for the Governorship candidate of PDP, Mbah, allegedly using federal government palliatives like cooking stove, wrappers, rice and garri.

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

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