By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The Caucus and Stakeholders of the Abia State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected the process employed by the National Working Committee (NWC) in replacing the late F. N. Nwosu as the National Welfare Secretary and the representative of Abia at the NWC.
Briefing journàlists yesterday in the APC National secretariat, leader of the delegation, Stanley Ugochukwu Ohajuruka, said the Abia APC has a leader, in the person of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who is supported by the Caucus/Stakeholders in nominating the replacement of the demised National Welfare Secretary and the representative of Abia at the NWC.
He said the above position of the Caucus/stakeholders was communicated to the National Chairman in his office through two separate delegations led by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senator Chris Adighije respectively and the National Secretary by a delegation led by Senator Nkechi Nwaogu.
Party of the letter reads “A letter of the stakeholders dated the 15th August 2023 signed by major Stakeholders to which was annexed the list of attendance of the nomination meeting officially conveying Caucus/Stakeholders nomination to the NWC through the National Chairman, through the Zonal Chairman, South East and through the State Executive Committee was conveyed as well. The said letter is hereby also attached.
“Considering that Abia APC does not have a Governor and that the Deputy Speaker who is the leader of the party in the state and the Stakeholders were not carried along by the NWC in reaching their decision, we hereby call on our National Chairman and the NWC to revisit their earlier decision.
“May we also call the attention of the President, the leader of our great party to this passionate appeal that will help Abia APC heal from the wounds inflicted on us by similar act of external interference in the activities of our State chapter in times past and allow us to unite and reposition Abia APC for greater prospects under the God-given leadership of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“We further pledge our unalloyed loyalty and support to the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and thank him immensely for the confidence reposed on our leader, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.”
He further expressed displeasure over why somebody outside Abia State will be dictating and imposing leadership on Abia people, adding that it was the reason the party scored abysmally low in the last governorship election in Abia State.
According to him, it is only the political stakeholders and the caucus that knows how to mobilise the voters and win elections, just as he said the Party NWC should listen and do the right thing.
