Abia APC ticket, akin to Zimbabwe dollar, tissue paper – Nkechi Nwogu
* Withdraws from senatorial race
By Steve Oko
The confusion in the Abia State chapter of the main opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, seems to be getting worse as a chieftain of the party, Senator Nkechi Nwogu,has likened the APC ticket in the state to Zimbabwe dollar or tissue paper.
Senator Nwogu who represented Abia Central district in the sixth and seventh Senate, said she had decided to pull out from from the senatorial primaries scheduled for today (Saturday).
Nwogu who announced her withdrawal at a press conference in Umuahia, cited the confusion arising from the emergence of two governorship candidates in a parallel primary as reason for her action.
She expressed displeasure that the APC in Abia could not leverage on its growing goodwill to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2023 due to selfish interests and the inability of the national leadership of the party to properly address the challenge in the state chapter of the party.
In a letter addressed to her Ward Chairman, Nwogu wrote: ” I write to express my total disappointment in the ongoing, protracted division in our Abia State chapter of APC.
“The undemocratic manner of the emergence of the purported delegates has further fuelled the division in the party.
“As a result, this has led to two different primaries in the same election – one group using direct mode of primary and the other using indirect mode of primary.
“Consequently, two governorship candidates emerged – High Chief Ikechi Emenike, and Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah. Under this uncertainty, I find it very difficult to participate in the forthcoming senatorial primary election slated for Saturday, May 28.
” I Senator Nkechi Nwogu, hereby withdraw my participation in the forthcoming senatorial election. I will still remain an active member of our great party, and ever ready to serve the party in any capacity where my services may be required”.
Addressing newsmen later, Senator Nwogu likened APC ticket in Abia to “a tissue paper or Zimbabwe dollar” due to factionalisation.
” In view of the massive rift, the bad blood and our losing of the goodwill of the people and subjecting Abians to look for another party for salvation I have decided to withdraw.
” I can’t participate in the shenanigan going on in the state. I can’t participate in the primary that can only produce fake dollar, Zimbabwean dollar that has no value.
” Eventually I will be vindicated next year when the general election will come up.
” Anybody holding a ticket here is just holding a tissue paper because we have lost it. I don’t want to waste my money”.
She blamed the National leadership of the party for failing to rise to the occasion.
” The leadership ought to have reconciled us. How can the National Working Committee write a letter about sharing formula and people won’t respect it.
” The people who came to monitor the exercises in Abia came with letters purportedly signed by the same people at the national leadership.
“It is regrettable that APC in Abia cannot put its house in order to remove the PDP which has been in power for 20 years but the opportunity is lost.
” How can APC with the avalanche of goodwill that people have on the party as a result of abysmal failure and misgovernance by the PDP disappoint the people?
“My heart is heavy that we have made efforts to have a formidable party but regrettably, the party remains a charade.
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