The Abia State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over the crisis which has enveloped the party in the State.
It should be recalled that the Abia State APC produced two State Executives following the parallel Congresses held on the 31st of October, 2021 by the Hon. Donatus Nwankpa led group and the Chief Ikechi Emenike led group.
In an open letter to the President signed by Senator Chris Adighije, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, Dr. Chris Akomas, Dr. Emeka Wogu, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, Rt. Hon. Sam Onuigbo, Rt. Hon.Stanley Ohajuruka, Dr. Nyerere Anyim Nyerere, Barr. Honour Onyebuchukwu, Nduka Anyanwu, Hon. Tony Enweruzo, Gen. Jack Okey Nwogbo (retd) and DIG. Azubuko Udah (retd), the party called for the urgent intervention of President Buhari into the crisis in the Abia State APC, which according to them, was precipitated by the National Secretariat through the Caretaker Committee Chairman, H.E. Mai Mala Buni and Caretaker Committee Secretary, Sen. John Akpanudedehe.
The open letter reads in part:
“Mr. President, in the build up to the Congresses of our great party, the National Caretaker Committee Secretary told a delegation of Abia State Chapter stakeholders that he has the instructions of Governor Buni to hand over the structure of the party in Abia State to one Chief Ikechi Emenike and that all members and leaders should go and line up behind him ignoring and sidelining the State Working Committee, the State Executive Council, State Caucus, LGA and Ward Executives and all other stakeholders.
“During the Congresses, to make good their plan, the National Secretariat sent the Congress Committee to the said Ikechi Emenike instead of the State Party Secretariat. Since the Congress Committee did not report to the party in the State, the State Caretaker Committee together with the Caucus, Stakeholders, Ward and LGA Executives proceeded with the Congresses in line with the guidelines issued to the State Chapters by the National Secretariat having supervised the sale of forms to party members. The said Congresses were observed and monitored by the INEC, the Police and DSS all of which submitted their reports of the holding of the Congresses.
“The party in Abia State conducted the Congress that produced Hon. Iheanacho Obioma, as Chairman (a former member of the House of Representatives).
“Before the commencement and conclusion of the Congresses in the States, all efforts by Abia State APC leaders to have audience with the National Chairman proved abortive. On two occasions, our delegations met with the National Secretary who informed them that the instructions to hand over the party structure of our State to Ikechi Emenike emanated from the Presidency.”
According to the letter, the party petitioned the National Office over the anomalies, which resulted in an invitation to be heard by the Reconciliation Committee headed by His Excellency Senator Adamu Abdullahi, but Ikechi Emenike turned down the invitation.
The letter further stated that the Certificate of return which the National Secretariat issued to Kingsley Ononogbu on the 3rd of February, 2022, as Chairman of the party in the State was unacceptable.
“The mainstream Abia State APC which accounts for over 90% of the Abia APC membership stands by the Congress conducted on 31/10/2021at the Umuahia Township Stadium by the State Caretaker Committee led by Hon. Donatus Nwankpa that produced the Chairman in the person of Hon. Iheanacho Obioma and other State Executive members. We assure your Excellency that we will not be deterred in pursuit of our objective of bringing good governance to the people of Abia State by winning the 2023 gubernatorial election in Abia State as well as winning the majority of other elective positions in the State. We humbly request your Excellency, Mr. President and the leader of our great party to call the Caretaker Chairman and Secretary to order by directing them to retrace their undemocratic steps which threaten to destroy the Abia State Chapter of the party”, the letter added.
