Minister, Uche Ogar, and the governorship candidate of the party in the 2023 elections, Ikechi Emenike, over control of the party.
The rift has divided members of the party. A source stated that the party might have submitted two lists of potential ministers to the president.
It was learnt that though Ugwuanyi is not of the APC, his mien that has endeared him to all manner of people has become a factor that may earn him a place in the administration of Tinubu.
The other factor is the crisis in the state APC, which has divided the party and limited its chances at the last elections. It was speculated that allowing any of the factions led by Ugochukwu Agballah or Adolphus Ude, among others, to nominate candidates would fester the crisis.
In Ebonyi, there are rumours that former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, may also make the list. Anyim’s closeness with the immediate past governor of the state, Dave Umahi, who will eventually have a say in who should be appointed from the state is said to be a factor.
Anyim had before the election openly endorsed the governorship candidate of the APC; a position that many felt impacted on the performance of Tinubu in the state. Anyim has been received by President Tinubu at the State House.
For Imo state, it will be unlikely for Governor Uzodimma not to have a say in the choice of minister to represent the state.
The crisis in Anambra APC might also make the president look elsewhere for his minister. Only last week, he held talks with the former National Publicity of the PDP, Olisa Metuh.
In a related development, the APC in Rivers State has denied ceding any ministerial nomination slot to Wike.
The state party spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, made the denial at a press briefing on Wednesday, describing the claim as “the most fantastically audacious of lies”.
Nwauju, while reacting to a publication authored by the former Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Government, and state leader of the Amalgamated Bola Tinubu Campaign Council, Chief Tony Okocha, said, “the state chapter of the party has never interacted with the Amalgamated Bola Tinubu Campaign Council emphasising that there are more than a hundred NGOs and support groups, who worked for the APC in Rivers State.”