By Chijindu Emeruwa.
The All Progressives Congres State House of Assembly candidate for Umunneochi constituency seat in Abia state for the 2023 general elections, Engr Ejike Chukwu, has insisted that there is no division in All Progressives Congress in Abia state, reiterating that the state chapter is intact, strong and poised to win the fast-approaching general elections in 2023 and form the next government in Abia state.
Mr Chukwu who was speaking on Thursday on the heels of the recent judgement of an Abuja high court in a lawsuit by an ex-Nigerian minister, Uche Oga against the outcome of the conducted parallel gubernatorial primaries by the governing APC in Abia state.
DAILY POST recalls that a federal high court presided by Hon Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako in Abuja, had on Friday, November 11, 2022, ordered Emenike’s sack and affirmed the immediate past Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah as the authentic All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidate in Abia State for the 2023 general elections.
It would also be recalled that the All Progressives Congress had in May 26, 2022, conducted parallel primary elections in Abia State which, saw the emergence of Ogah and Emenike as governorship candidates in Abia State for the 2023 main elections respectively.
Despite exchange of outbursts by majority of critical party leaders, stakeholders and members across Local Government Areas in the state, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC submitted names and details of Mr Ikechi Emenike, party leadership submitted the names and details of Mr Ikechi Emenike as its Abia gubernatorial Candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Against this backdrop, Uche Ogah approached an Abuja High Court to challenge the eligibility and nomination of Emenike by the leadership of the APC, the leadership of the party submitted names and details of Ikechi Emenike to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Continuing, Chukwu further insisted that there was no conduct of parallel gubernatorial primary election in Abia state, as only one electoral committee set up byto oversee the concluded primary elections, and was roundingly monitored by Independent bodies, civil society organizations and the media, maintaining that there’s no cause for alarm over the recent high court ruling that sacked factional party leader, Ikechi Emenike as the APC gubernatorial Candidate in Abia State, and informed that the particular judgement has been appealed by the Abia factional leader which affirmed the immediate past Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah as the authentic APC governorship ticket-bearer for the next year elections in Abia state.
The Abia APC chieftain recalled that two courts with competent jurisdictions had already decided on lawsuits relating to Emenike’s nomination as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, saying the recent decision of Justice Binta-Murtala Nyako Abuja high court cannot be enforced, and further posited that the superior court in the land is final determinant factor and arbiter to resolve ongoing legal battle between the two parties, and controversies surrounding candidate nomination by the leadership of the APC.
His words: “As far I’m concerned, APC in Abia state is not divided. It is intact under the leadership of Dr Kingsley Ononogbu as state chairman of the party and our leader, Chief hief Ikechi Emenike. Again, nowhere a parallel primary election was took place in Abia state. We agreed on indirect/delegate mode of primary elections for Abia State in conducting our gubernatorial primary election. And national leadership of our party also sent only one electoral committee to conduct primary election, they oversaw and monitored the process to the conclusion. The primary election elected High Chief Ikechi Emenike as the APC Governorship Candidate in Abia as demonstrated by majority of party delegates across the seventeen ocal Government Areas of Abia state. state.
“The ruling by Justice Nyako -led high court cannot be enforced, because our party leader, High Chief Ikechi Emenike has appealed against the judgement. For now, the status quo remain. He’s still APC gubernatorial candidate in Abia state. There is nothing like Emenike’s sack. It is their wishful thinking. I advise them to Visit INEC office today, you will know the name and details of Chief Ikechi Emenike is is still there as APC governorship Standard bearer in Abia.
“Let me tell you those distracting the party with this frivolous legal suit or court litigations are doing so, because they know we’re winning. In view of recent happening as regarding the concluded party primaries by i must seize this opportunity to urge our teeming members and supporters in the state to remain law-abided and steadfast in their genuine and overwhelming supports to Ikechi Emenike, because he has come to salvage Abia from misrule and total collapse when elected into the office of the Abia Governor in 2023. Let’s not allow this development about court litigation by Uche Ogah and co travellers distract us as committed and loyal party members or supporters, there is total confidence in superior court to restore the mandate given to Chief Emenike by teeming majority of party delegates and Abians at the conducted APC primaries held on 26th May 2022 in Umuahia, the state capital”.
Asked to further speak on the rationale behind his state house of assembly bid on the platform of the progressive party, Chukwu said his desire to represent umunneochi state constituency in Abia assembly is driven by clarion call by local constituents, geninue love and passion to improve poor standard of livelihoods, and as well as the decadence in Infrastructure and dwindling economic potentials of Umunneochi state constituency.
He promised the Umunneochi constituents effective and responsive representation when supported to emerge as the member of the State House of Assembly in 2023, assuring also to engender attraction of the building of impactful economic and Infrastructural projects to enhance the welfare of the people , and development in every parts of the state constituency if elected into the office next year.
On rumours surrounding his political ambition, Chukwu reiterated that he is not being sponsored or bankrolled by the current member representing Isiuakwato/Umunneochi federal constitency at the house of representatives, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejiocha as his genuine desire to become a state lawmaker is shrouded on the clarion calls and yearnings by the people for a purposeful and responsive leadership in Umunneochi state constituency, insisting that he offered himself for the plum job in order to give his constituency a voice, a sense of belonging, and as well to make them feel positive impact of government in the dispensation of dividends of democracy.
Concluding, the frontline APC State Assembly standard-bearer, admonished the electorates in Umunneochi constituency and Abia as a whole, to shun political moneybags, and elect credible and capable people with visionary ideas and solutions to address myriads of economic challenges impeding their growths and development.
