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Tag: Abia APC

  • Uzodinma urges APC in Abia to intensify grassroots membership drive

    Uzodinma urges APC in Abia to intensify grassroots membership drive

    Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State to embark on an aggressive grassroots membership drive across the 17 local government areas of the state.

    Uzodinma, who also serves as Director-General of the Renewed Hope Agenda, a pro-President Bola Tinubu group, gave the charge during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

    Represented by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the governor reminded party members and the ambassadors of the tasks ahead, particularly as preparations begin for the 2027 general elections.

    He said the Renewed Hope initiative reflects the president’s commitment to restoring confidence and delivering on governance priorities.

    According to Onyejeocha, the ambassadors would be responsible for grassroots mobilisation across all local government areas to strengthen support for the administration.

    She urged them to serve as a bridge between the people and the government by ensuring effective communication of community needs and aspirations.

    “You must listen to the needs and aspirations of your communities and relay them to the government for appropriate action,” she said.

    She also encouraged the ambassadors to be proactive, innovative and responsive in their engagement with residents.

    Earlier in his welcome address, the APC chairman in Abia State, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, commended President Tinubu for initiatives he said were aimed at developing the Southeast.

    He cited the establishment of the Southeast Development Commission, the approval of an airport project in Abia, and plans for a modular refinery, among other projects in the region.

    Ononogbu described the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors as the beginning of a new phase for the party in the state and a reaffirmation of support for the president’s leadership.

    The State chairman tasked the new Ambassadors to bridge the gap between the party and the people through advocacy, civic engagement, political education, and constructive dialogue.

    “The message of the Renewed Hope agenda focuses on evangelizing achievements and milestones, which is not an evangelism of lies but of truth, facts, and figures.

    He also praised President Tinubu for his sterling performance since he assumed office in 2023 through major infrastructural, social, and economic reforms that have put the country on the right track.

    The State coordinator of the Renewed Hope Agenda, Chief Henry Ikoh, during his remarks, stated that the renewed hope Ambassadors are now working in conjunction with the Abia APC with the sole mandate of re-electing the president in 2027.

    “Go to the grassroots and preach the gospel of President Tinubu’s performance, APC flag will continue to fly in Aso Rock, the 184 wards and 17 local government Areas in the state.

    He also commended Tinubu for increasing allocation given to the state and local government, which has translated to development.

    Prince Paul Ikonne, alongside Sen Nkechi Nwogu, the former senator representing Abia central in their separate remarks, labeled the renewed hope ambassadors as foot soldiers of Tinubu in the local governments of the state, with the mandate of mobilizing grassroots support for the president’s re-election.

    “We’ll massively vote for President Tinubu in 2027 because of his great achievements. Abia will no longer be left behind in the scheme of things, and therefore, all hands must be on deck to re-elect the president in 2027.

    Highlights of the event include the formal inauguration of the renewed home Ambassadors by Chief Henry Ikoh, the state coordinator, and the commissioning of the Renewed Hope Ambassador’s office, Umuahia, to the admiration of all and sundry present.

  • Abia APC rejects illegal imposition of national welfare secretary               

    Abia APC rejects illegal imposition of national welfare secretary               

    Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the imposition of a new national welfare secretary.  In a statement signed by the state Chairman of the party, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu and the state Secretary, Chief Chidi Avajah, the state organ of the party called on the National Working Committee (NWC) to reverse itself and respect the party’s constitution.                   

    The duo said the constitution of the party was clear on who had the mandate to nominate a replacement in case of vacancy.

    Read Also: Two dead, 37 rescued in Abuja building collapse

    This, according to them, falls on the State Executive Committee.                           

    The party pointed out that following the death of the last occupant of the office, F. N. Nwosu, the state chapter in line with its mandate in APC Constitution nominated her State Organising Secretary, Mr. Obinna Atuonwu and forwarded same to both zonal and national organs of our great party for ratification. “The state chapter of the party is deeply worried that some stranger elements are trying to distabilise Abia State chapter of the party after their treachery and betrayals during the last election.”                      

  • Struggle for ministerial position divides Abia APC?

    LUCAS AJANAKU examines the struggle for ministerial positions by Abia State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains.

    IN few weeks’ time, President Muhammadu Buhari would announce members of his cabinet. The President, who was sworn in for a second term in office, May 29, had given the impression that this time round, he would hit the ground running.

    As Nigerians wait for the composition of the Federal Executive Council, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia State seems to have allowed the quest for a ministerial position take over the need to build a very strong and virile opposition against the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    It was the expectation of Abians during the last general elections that the APC was going to give the ruling party a run for its money, but as it turned out, the PDP had an easy ride to victory.

    While some states are already strategising for the 2023 elections, it is a different story for Abia APC as it is being torn apart by a single federal appointment. Not long ago, there was an online report that there was a rift between the governorship candidate of the APC in Abia State, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, and his running mate, Martins Azubuike, with each camp accusing the other of being responsible for the unimpressive performance of the party during the last elections. While Damian Kamalu had alleged that Dr. Ogah’s quest to become the governor of Abia State was a huge deceit as he refused to do the things that were deemed necessary for him to win the election, ranging from lack of billboards, campaign vehicles to lack vigorous campaigns, an associate of Ogah, Clinton Otoro Nwaubani, claimed that Azubuike, apart from being a political liability for Ogah, connived with his Ngwa brothers in Abia South, who felt the Ngwa people deserved a second term, and sold out to the government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP.

    As the accusations and counter accusations continue, the leadership of the party has maintained a studied silence, pointing to the fact that they may have decided to thread carefully since it is obvious that no one knows the mind of the President as to who will clinch the ministerial position.

    However,in Abia State, the challenges of the party seem multifaceted.  The Chairman Donatus Nwankpa, was kidnapped, for days, shortly before the visit of Mr. President and the incident almost ruined the rare opportunity of giving the President a befitting welcome. As the party was surviving this trauma, it was faced by another major distraction, which was having to contend with some of the leaders of the party from Ngwa endorsing openly Dr. Ikpeazu for a second time. It must have been a harrowing experience for the APC faithful to hear the voice of one of their chieftains on a syndicated radio programme, urging the electorate to vote for the opposition, the PDP, and that it was an agreement reached by the APC people of Ngwa extraction.

    It is not known whether a recent meeting that was reported to have held at Abuja by the APC House of Assembly candidates under the platform of the Conference of 2019 Southeast candidates was referring to Abia State as they did not mention specifics but their allegation that they were betrayed by the Southeast leaders during the last elections spoke volumes. In the communique issued after their meeting, they accused their Southeast leaders of entering into a deal with governors of the zone to give President Muhammadu Buhari 25 per cent votes to sacrifice the political interests of other candidates.

    Observers are worried that the APC may have a huge task ahead of itself to rebuild immediately after the announcement of a minister to represent the state in the Federal Executive Council has been made. The obvious implications of this being that such a minister should be a strong, trusted,  exposed and committed person with capacity to hold the party together, working with other leaders for future elections.

    The Abia South Senatorial zone, particularly the Ukwa bloc that has not had a minister for the past 36 years, has the key for the party to make a very strong impact in 2023, considering the fact that it is the only oil producing area and a major economic contributor to the growth and development of the state.

    In line with the broadcast of Mr. President during the celebration of  the Democracy Day, the main thrust of his administration was to consolidate on the achievements of the last four years and correct the lapses inevitable in all human endeavours and chart a bold plan for transforming the country, it is likely that the administration would easily embrace the need to redress some obvious and perceived injustices in Abia State as it relates to political appointments.  So far, some names in the three regions of the state have flooded the online media as those being considered for ministerial position in the state.

    The Abia South APC Youth Leader, Prince Abana Chigozie Abana, appealed to PMB to appoint the APC Abia South Senatorial candidate in the last election, Sir Marc Wabara, as minister, hinging his conviction on the fact that he had all it takes, considering his pedigree and great contributions to the growth of the APC in the state.

    Abana also highlighted the obvious fact that Wabara, a former bank chief executive  is a renowned philanthropist. The appeal of the Youth leader seems justified when seen also from the fact that the Ngwa people who share Abia South with the Ukwa people presently has a governor and a senator.

    Speaking on the criteria that should guide the appointment of a minister, Nwankpa said the party looked up to Buhari for encouragement in building chapter. According to him, the concern of the party was to produce a governor come 2023, adding that if the president appointed someone committed to that effort, it will be in the best interest of the state, otherwise it would be catastrophic. The concern of the state chairman is shared by an APC loyalist from the Ukwa political bloc. He contends that the desire of the party to clinch the governorship seat in 2023 will be hinged more on the part of Abia state where the minister comes from than on the person’s commitment to ensure that the party takes over the government in the state. He said going by the fact the APC at the moment has a Senator, member House of Representatives and two members of the State House of Assembly from Abia North, the best strategy would be for the President to choose his minister from Abia South Senatorial zone, adding that since the zone is the most populated, the Ukwa political bloc that shares Abia South with the Ngwa people would be favourably disposed to working with a minister from Ukwa to strengthen the zone and therefore make victory for the APC in 2023 a less cumbersome task.

     

  • Abia APC counters moves to reappoint Enelamah minister

    The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disassociated itself from the moves by the President Muhammadu Buhari government to name Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah, current Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment as a member of his new government.

    The party, which accused Enelamah of being less concerned with activities of the party in the state in the last three years, also called on the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to ensure that Abia gets a minister who is committed to the interest and growth of the party in the next federal cabinet.

    The APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Comrade Benedict Godson, while addressing journalists said most of the problems faced by the party in the state during the last election were due to Enelamah’s non-commitment and lackadaisical approach to the party’s issues.

    Godson also said, “Enelamah is not a member of our party and should not be appointed as a minister again.

    “He has never attended any APC meeting. He kept saying he is a democrat and not a politician, but the issue here is if people didn’t bring out themselves to work, campaign and mobilise for APC, would he be waiting for appointment now?

    “We are saying that he should be replaced with a real APC man who believes in the interest of the party and has worked for the growth of the party. He was used against us by the opposition which usually celebrate that Abia APC is missing in the Federal Executive Council and that they have the man’s support in the state,” he said, adding, “We are therefore calling on President Muhammadu Buhari, our party Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and the leader of our party in Abia, Dr. Orji Uzor-Kalu, to look into this matter and save the party from impending trouble should Enelamah be reinstated.

    “Another issue is that this minister is also from the same constituency with Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, Dr. Uzoma Elizabeth Ikechi Emenike, who also does not do anything for the party after getting appointment with the platform of APC. There are many qualified APC members all over Abia.”

  • Gunmen kidnap Abia APC chairman

    The Abia State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Donatus Nwankpa has reportedly been kidnapped by unknown gunmen on Monday night.

    His P.A. escaped, but another party official wasn’t lucky to also escape.

    Details soon…

  • Court uphold Ogah as Abia APC governorship candidate

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday held that Uche Ogah was the validly nominated candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the next governorship election in Abia State.

    Justice Anwuli Chikere, in a judgment in the suit by Ogah, held that, by the provision of Section 87 of the Electoral Act, it was the National Working Committee (NWC) of a party that can conduct a valid governorship primary.

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    Justice Chikere further held that since Ogah emerged from the primary held by the APC’s NWC, he is a product of a valid primary.

    The judge proceeded to void the primary conducted by the Abia State Executive of the APC, from which Ikechi Emenike was said to have emerged.

    Justice Chikere barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from substituting Ogah’s name with any alternative provided by the APC.

  • Abia APC governorship candidate Emenike sets up 40-man campaign team

    The governorship candidate of Abia State All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ikechi Emenike has kick started his governorship campaign by setting up a 40 man campaign team in each of the 184 electoral wards in the state.

    An Abuja court on Friday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept Emenike as the party’s authentic candidate in Abia.

    Speaking with reporters in Umuahia, Emenike said that he has mandated Chris Okpechi who is the Abia APC elders committee chairman to liaise with the party state chairman, Dr Emmanuel Ndukwe and other state working committee members to do the inauguration.

    The committees in all the wards are to be inaugurated on Friday.

    He explained that members of the committees from each ward are drawn mostly from the party, Emenike Youth for Abia Development, Emenike Daughters and Emenike teenagers, “These are fiercely loyal and core support base which Emenike has nurtured over the years”.

    The Abia APC candidate said that the time has come for all the various groups who have been working for his ambition to come under one umbrella to enable them achieve the same and desired objectives.

    Emenike used the forum to warn the campaign team that they should work as a team with the same purpose and never to work at cross purposes, “As there will be no separate or different campaigns”.

    He reiterated that all efforts should be in synergy to enable them achieve their common objectives, “Which is to win Abia state for APC as it is the route and the foundation to take Abia to the next level”.

    Emenike urged the members of the campaign team to  reach out to all members of the party, especially members of the other faction and be ready to embrace them with open arms.

    The Abia State APC governorship candidate said that all patriotic hands must be on deck to salvage Abia, “We can only achieve salvation when we work as one united body, working towards one achievable goal which is to liberate our dear state”.

    He charged the campaign team not to stop at reaching out to only party members, but to also reach out to all Abians of good will who are willing to cue behind President Muhammadu Buhari who is determined to take Nigeria to the next level.

    Read also: Kwara APC aspirants bury hatchet

    Emenike over the weekend secured a court order from an Abuja High court directing both the national office of APC and INEC to recognize him as the authentic governorship candidate of the part for the 2019 election.

    The court also recognized the Abia state APC state executive ably led by Dr Ndukwe as the duly and authentic leadership of the party and that those who emerged as candidates through the congress done by Nwankpa are not recognized.

    In his reaction, the state chairman of the party Dr Ndukwe pledged to work in synergy with all members of the campaign committee to ensure that Emenike is elected as the next governor of the state come 2019.

    Ndukwe said that the time to work for the election of Emenike has come as the legal battle has been put to an end and called on all members of the party in the state to work towards realizing their ambition.

  • Ogah loses out as Abuja High Court declares Emenike Abia APC gov candidate

    High Court sitting in Abuja, has declared that Chief Ikechi Emenike is the authentic governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State for the forthcoming governorship election.

    The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Chief Emenike as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Abia State for the 2019 general elections.

    The court further ordered INEC to only recognize and accept all other candidates that emerged from the Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe led executive of the Abia State APC who emerged during the congress.

    Read also: Presidential panel to recover $20m, assets for NPA

    The court presided by Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya also struck out a motion filed by Uche Ogah to be joined in the suit. In her judgment, Justice Ogbonnaya granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, Ikechi Emenike to declare him the Abia APC governorship for the 2019 general election.

    Emenike in the suit sought for the following reliefs from the FCT high court, to declare and reaffirm the leadership of Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe as the authentic one in Abia state as ordered by Justice Collington Okoroafor.

    A declaration that the 1st defendant (APC) has no discretion to refuse, reject and/or neglect to act on the list of candidates forwarded to it for onward transmission to the 2nd defendant (INEC).

  • Abia APC factions trade words

    The two factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State  at the weekend traded words over who was destroying the party.

    The factions were reacting to the invasion of the Abia State High Court at Okpuala Ngwa, by thugs.

    The Donatus Nwankpa faction, through its Admin Secretary, Paul Meregini, told reporters that the Dr Emmanuel Ndukwe faction was being sponsored by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Meregini said: “Nwankpa is the state chairman of APC in Abia state, as we don’t have two chairmen in Abia, he is the authentic chairman recognised by the national leadership of APC”.

    State Publicity Secretary of Abia APC, Mike Ozoemena, said Meregini was misinforming party members.

    Ozoemena said it was laughable for Meregini to say that the Ndukwe group was being sponsored by PDP to destabilise the APC in the state.

    In a statement in Umuahia, Ozoemena said: “Our first reaction was to ignore the hired man but for some gullible minds who might take him seriously. It is not in our nature to join issues with such level of political hirelings but we would want to set the records straight to avoid some misconceptions in the minds of some members of the public and our numerous party faithful at the grassroots”.

    “Ikechi Emenike is a well known nemesis to the underperforming government of PDP in Abia State that are doing all that is humanly possible to avoid his candidature, the only man in the race that has the clout, contact reach and sagacity to liberate our state from underdevelopment and backwardness of PDP’s 20 years misrule.

    “This is a group that connived with some judicial officials to steal the case file without the knowledge of Justice C. U. Okoroafor the presiding judge and has never obeyed any court orders, so they can do anything to scuttle Justice.”

  • Uche Ogah emerges Abia APC guber candidate

    Uche Ogah emerges governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of 2019 with a total vote of 86,875, martins Azubuike 10,889, Akomas 2,123, Amb Okey Emuchay, Prince Paul Ikonne 999, Friday Nwosu 3,529.

    Another faction of the party earlier chose Chief Ikechi Emenike as its own candidate. The Emenike group said it has a court order, which it recognises its executive council as the authentic one.