A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, Barrister Sam Ogbonna, has cautioned the leadership of the party at the National level over the crises in Abia State chapter of the APC.
He accused the party leadership of turning a blind eye into the anomalies in the State, stressing that it had the potency of causing members to leave immediately after the party’s national convention.
It should be recalled that the Abia State APC has been enmeshed in criss resulting in a Court action.
In a statement released on Sunday, Ogbonna said:
“For quite sometime now, the leadership of our great party has been toiling with the feelings and yearnings of the people that matter in the party in Abia State by not adhering to due process which may snowball into many dumping the party after the forthcoming National convention.
“Generally, the leadership of a political party is always in the hand of the Governor of a State just as same is replicated at the national level. In Abia state where the Governor is in another party, the leadership automatically ought to be bestowed on the highest political office holder who ought to give directions and be consulted in all policy matters and decisions when it matters most. Regrettably, the scenario is different in Abia state.”
He wondered if the APC at the national level does not have interest in winning the governorship seat in Abia state.
Ogbonna expressed concerns that the national leadership of the APC decided to recognise a man who has never won a seat in his State as a Councillor instead of someone who has made the voice of the party to be heard by ensuring an overwhelming victory in the Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats in his Senatorial Zone.
Continuing, he said:
“Though, we need one another to make remarkable progress, but the proper thing should be done. While other political parties are working assiduously to enlarge their membership across the States, our own party is busy sowing embers of discord despite the incessant yearnings of the people.
“In a couple of weeks, the national convention would take place and Abia APC is still in court, yet, the national body is not perturbed in any manner. How then do we think that it shall augur well with us in the long run?
“Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been accommodating and has been doing his best to ensure that APC becomes stronger in Abia State but, the level at which his mammoth followers and supporters are being maligned and recognition at all levels given to a faction rather than proffering a lasting solution to the lingering leadership tussle is a situation that may lead to untoward development if not properly handled.
“Furthermore, should APC allow sentiments and parochialism to becloud her sense of reasoning and deny South East geopolitical zone the President of Nigeria, the much recorded victory in the past which we ought to improve upon and consolidate come 2023 may elude us.I am not a Prophet of doom, but stating the obvious.
“Many people in Abia State are clamouring for change in the governance of Abia state, but with the trend of events presently going on in our party, many sympathizers are becoming sceptical and demoralized. Though, it is not late to amend, but the earlier we put our house in order, the better for us to secure victory come 2023, except one is saying that APC in Abia state can be dispensed with”.
