SOUTHEAST is one of the zones in the country that All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 could not get immediate acceptance after it was formed with the likes of Dr. Chris Ngige, George Moghalu, Osita Izunaso, Governor Rochas Okorocha, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, Chief Ikechi Emenike, Anyim Nyerere Anyim, Prince Benjamin Apugo, Rt.Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, Comrade Benedict Godson and so many other notable Abians, including former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Comrade Chris Akomas, as members.
Despite the change mantra being bandied by the party, campaigning for APC then in the Southeast was a difficult task. It was like the experience of early Christians who suffered persecution in the hands of the oppressors who were averse to accepting the message of repentance being brought to their doorsteps by the early missionaries.
Like some of the early preachers who were stoned to death by their people or faced humiliation, in Abia State in particular, some of the early disciples of the party registered secretly to either avoid the wrath of then government or stigmatization of such individual by his kit and kin. Unconfirmed information has it that some of the APC members who were seen as strong force were troubled by the government in power.
Former governor of the state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, even at a recent meeting held at his Neya Camp in Bende Local Government area lamented how the former governor of the state and his successor, Senator Theodore Orji, backed by the federal government used two Armored Personnel Carrier to block his gate during the 2015 Abia North Senatorial District election rerun which allegedly gave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the opportunity to rig the election in favour of incumbent Senator representing the District in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly.
Then presidential candidate of the party and now President of the country, Muhammadu Buhari, was denied using the Umuahia Township and Enyimba stadium, Aba, including other public facilities in the state respectively for campaign. The campaign was later held at Etche road Primary School field with no or few police and other security presence in case of any security breach at the venue of the rally.
His Imperial Majesty, Eze Isaac Ikonne, was not spared from the attack as those who constitute the leadership of the Abia State Traditional Rulers Council denied being on the same page with the revered monarch for honouring Buhari with the “Ogbuagu” chieftaincy title during the APC presidential aspirant visit to his palace.
The narrative however changed after the election when Buhari emerged the winner after defeating incumbent, former President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan.
It is important to say that after surviving the stormy weather, APC in Abia State have come to stay as it can boast of myriad membership of political big weights across the 17 local government areas of the state.
Political analysts have opined that with the likes of Senator Nkechi Nwaogu (former Abia Central District lawmaker and Pro-chancellor and Governing Board chairman University of Calabar), senators Chris Adighije and Bob Nwannunnu, Emeka Wogu (former Minister of Labour and Productivity), Rt. Hon. Martins Azubuike (former Speaker Abia State House of Assembly), Hon. Humphrey Azubuike former Abia House of Assembly Chief Whip, Sir Marc Wabara (former MD/CEO of defunct Hallmark Bank), Hon. Iheanacho Obioma (former Umuahia/Ikwuano House of Reps member), former Speaker Agwu U. Agwu, Sir Friday Nwosu (2015 governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State) and many others, the party is capable of winning elections in the state come 2019.
It is therefore no doubt that APC in Abia, having the likes of Prince Apugo, former governor and the leader of the party in the state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who have been described by many as the father of modern day Abia politics, Nwaogu, Wogu, Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah, the CEO, Masters Energy conglomerate and the new entrant, Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, etc, would do exploits in 2019 General Elections as they are no pushovers when it comes to having the political sagacity, having support base across the three senatorial districts of the state and winning elections in the state.
These people are no minors or neophytes in the politics of the state and the country at large.
No politician in the state can wish away the influence of former governor of the state who even after being out of power for about 12years still remains popular even more than the sitting governor.
Some Kalu apologists have stated that if popularity test were to be conducted between Kalu, his successor (T.A Orji) and the sitting governor, they are optimistic that Kalu would beat them in any part of the state.
Investigation by The Nation in the state shows that some of the serving political appointees in the present PDP-led government in the state are still loyal to Kalu. Some of them said told our correspondent off-records that they would not hesitate in giving their votes to Kalu any time if they have the opportunity to do so.
Apart from the door-to-door campaign strategy, the party has thrown its gubernatorial seat open to every eligible aspirant from any part of the state. This is as the party leadership has stated that they would not zone the ticket to any zone, but rather would give every eligible person the opportunity to contest the seat.
According to the State Chairman of the party, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, the priority of the party at this time is getting a good and salable candidate that the people in the three senatorial zones of the state would readily accept because of his or her popularity and credibility in delivering democratic dividend to the people of the state which they said the state is lacking at the moment.
Some members of the party in a recent chat with The Nation urged the party leadership to adopt direct primaries if they want to gain the confidence of party faithful and electorate in the state who see the process of selecting their candidates as transparent and credible.
They equally noted that direct primaries would kill camping of delegates and defection of potential defectors who may leave the party because of a “faulty” process of choosing the party’s representatives.
Our reporter who chatted with some members of the party who would not want their names in print said they want the leadership of the party to reconsider the decision to throw the gubernatorial seat of the party open to all persons, but to narrow it to the Ngwa extraction of the Ukwa/Ngwa nation where by the virtue of the rotation of power formula in the state have the right to produce the next governor of the state.
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The Nation-Source
