Emenike Unites Abia APC, Repositions Party for 2023

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Feuding groups in the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend finally resolved  their differences and agreed to  embrace peace and unity under the leadership of Chief Ikechi Emenike in the interest of the party and for the good of Abia State.

The factional groups and their officials in the 184 wards, 17 local governments of Abia as well as their executives at the state level were brought together at Ntalakwu Oboro in Ikwuano local government and were reconciled and “assimilated” into the main stream party leadership.

In a seven-point resolution tagged ‘Ntalakwu Resolution’ and read by the former Speaker of Abia legislature, Rt. Hon. Martin Azubuike, the leaders, members and stakeholders declared that “Abia State APC is one united party under the chairmanship of Dr. Kinsley Ononogbu and the leadership of Chief Ikechi Emenike”.

They also agreed, recognised and acknowledged that Emenike “is the one and only governorship candidate of Abia APC for 2023” and that the party has only one secretariat which is the one located at 40 Uyo Street, Umuahia, where Ononogbu has his office.

The resolution signed by Chief Emenike, Hon. Emeka Atuma, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Dr. Ononogbu, among others, further urged party leaders to use their positions to ensure genuine reconciliation and harmonisation from state down to the grassroots level of the party.

Speaking, Emenike described the day of reconciliation as “a special day” in which truth has finally prevailed despite the length of time it took.

“Peace has come to Abia APC. From today there is no faction. We are together; there will be no discrimination and everybody will be happy,” he said.

Among those at the  reconciliation meeting were party leaders, elders, state and federal lawmakers, and national officials from Abia as well as the party’s candidates for the 2023 poll.

All the party leaders and stakeholders from the hitherto two divides that spoke at the event acknowledged that peace and reconciliation was long overdue, noting that the party has now become more strengthened to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives Representatives, Hon. Onyejeocha said that many people had thought that the feud in Abia APC would have made the party to collapse but it has weathered the storm to emerge stronger.

House spokesman, Hon. Kalu noted that “our coming together” has already generated fears in the camps of not only the ruling PDP but also the Labour Party (LP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Host of the reconciliation meeting, Hon. Atuma, who is the APC senatorial candidate for Abia Central, explained that the basic reason for the large gathering of APC faithful “is to agree and declare that our party is one.”

He stated that there is no victor and no vanquished in the intra-party squabbles that has now come to an end, adding that ‘there is no love lost if you believe in our party.”

Emenike, who emerged the governorship standard-bearer of the main Abia opposition party at the May 26 primary had made it a point of duty to unite all party members and lead a formidable party to achieve victory at the forthcoming polls.

He undertook the task of reconciliation by reaching out to all the aggrieved members and making them understand that the interest of Abia superseded personal interest of any person.

“If you love Abia State and genuinely concerned about the rot in the statè, you should be ready to make sacrifices to enable our party achieve its goal of being in control of Abia Government House.

“It is only from the vantage position of being in power that we can be able to implement our programmes and satisfy the yearnings of Abia people for a state,” he said.