By Chijindu Emeruwa
Ulu Onwuchekwa, a southeast chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, has blamed the Abia state gubernatorial candidate of the party, Chief Ikechi Emenike, over the recent outings and poor performance of the APC at the just concluded Governorship election held across the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He also maintained that Emenike never toured nor campaigned anywhere in Bende federal constituency before the recently-conducted Abia 2023 governorship seat election by the nation’s electoral commission.
He was speaking during an interview with newsmen on friday in Umuahia, against the backdrops of the recent declaration of Alex Otti of labour party as winner of the recently-concluded march 18th state election by the Nigerian electoral commission.
Our correspondent earlier reported that Otti, an ex-bank chief, polled a total of 175, 467 votes cast to beat his closest rival and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Ahiwe, who scored 88,529 votes to come second position at the concluded elections.
The flagbearer of Young Progressive Party
(YPP), Enyinnaya Nwafor received came a distant third with 28,972 votes while the All Progressives Congress(APC) candidate, Ikechi Emenike scored a total of 24,091 votes to place third.
Earlier, while speaking on thursday, Mr Onwuchekwa, who also doubled as the current chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Bende local government area of Abia state, said emenike was rejected by the electorates at the concluded poll because he failed to campaign and reel out his developmental agendas for the state, and resorted into needless verbal attacks on integrity of notable party leaders including the current Majority chief whip of the Nigerian senate and ex-Abia Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
The APC chairman further said party leadership was dissatisfied with the results of the concluded state house of assembly elections conducted by INEC for the Bende north and Bende south state constituencies seats in Abia, wherein, he accused ruling government of the Peoples Democractic Party and her agents of harassment of eligible voters, and compromise by disgruntled officials of the nigerian electoral commission posted in most of polling centres and units across electoral wards of the seventeen local government areas in Abia state.
Onwuchekwa explained he was dissatisfied on the outcome of the just-concluded electoral process as it did not reflect to the yearnings and will of majority of people who voted for APC during the state elections in bende local government area, disclosing the leadership of the party will sooner than later make its final pronouncement in respect to outcome of the concluded general election by INEC.
According to him in words, “we are not satisfied with outcome of the concluded election. We are not satisfied. Also, there are many factors that led to that Infact, you will discover in many electioneering campaigns of Chief Ikechi Emenike, instead of him to tell people what he had in stock for them, he was busying abusing Senator orji Kalu.
“And someone who want to govern Abia state, should first put his house in order, instead of instigating infighting in Abia APC. He was busying fighting Orji Uzor Kalu, there was no campaign by Emenike anywhere in Bende local area.
“There was so much rancour in the party. And what he did during elwctioneeri campaigns somewhere in Uzuakoli Bende, is more like a rally. It wasn’t campaign. The campaigns should have been done ward by ward. He should have first put his house in order which is APC, before embarking on the campaigns.
“I think, that is where he failed it. We have so many interests that led to inability of APC to secure a win in the concluded Abia Governorship seat election conducted by INEC. By going what we see, the jubilations that heralded the declaration of Alex Otti of Labour party, i think it speaks volume. I think we need to go back to the drawing board. Lets sheathe our swords. So many things happened in these past elections. So many betrayals, rancour, fightings and everything.
“I think, it’s time for we, APC members, to put our house in order, to be able in our efforts to form Government in Abia state in future elections. I appeal to party leaders and members who were aggrieved, and our party members who were aspirants during our concluded 2022 party primary elections but felt cheated, or robbed off their rightful mandate and tickets to please, sheathe their swords, and close ranks to enable APC win future elections in Abia state, and to be able to form government and engender the desired dividends of democracy to every doorsteps of her citizens”.
