Police Avert Bloody Clash between APC Factions in Abia

Uchenna Nwosu
Police and the Abia State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) state officials yesterday averted what could have led to a violent clash between two factions of the APC in Isiala Ngwa South council area in the state, as two opposing camps prepared to open their offices and inaugurate their executives at different locations in Omoba, the headquarters of the council area.

Trouble started when the party executive led by Ezekiel Nwoagwugwu was reportedly sacked by some Ward chairmen and stakeholders in the area led by a former Chairman, Isiala Ngwa council area, Uzoma Uwa, and former Senator, Dr. Bob Nwannunu, on the allegations of incompetence, corruption, lack of due process in the conduct of party business, anti-party activities among others.

The stakeholders and ward chairmen who said they invoked ‘Article 21, Subsection D’ of the party’s constitution to dismiss the Nwoagwugwu-led exco, replaced it with a new 16-member executive headed by Onyenma Godwin Nwamara.

THISDAY was told that the letter of sack detailing the offences of the executive was signed by chieftains of the party and eight of the 10 ward chairmen in the area in March this year, but the dissolution did not go down well with the party officials who accused the party chieftains and ward chairmen of not following due process in the sack bid.

However, in a show of strength by both factions, the Nwoagwugwu camp and Nwamara camp scheduled their inauguration and office opening the same day as both camps prepared for a war of supremacy during the opening ceremony.

But a directive from the state Commissioner of Police through the DPO of Isiala Ngwa South division, as well as a letter from the state party Chairman, Donatus Nwankpa, cancelling the inauguration by the two camps forestalled a breakdown of law and order.

The party immediately set up a six-man reconciliatory committee headed by a party chieftain in the state, Chief Ogumnka Adiele, to resolve the crisis.

Speaking to THISDAY subsequently, Uwa said the council area chairman exceeded his bounds by running the party “as a private business and trying to sell the party to moneybags.” When contacted on the issue, the APC Chairman, Nwankpa, explained that he was not opposed to any individual or executive being removed but added that in doing so, due process must be followed.