Dr Kingsley Ononogbu, newly elected Abia APC Chairman
APC talks tough on replacing PDP in Abia, as special congress elects new chairman
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
Newly-elected State Chairman of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu, has served a quit notice to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring the preparations to sack them from the seat of power ‘after 24 years of misrule’ have started in earnest.
Ononogbu who made the declaration shortly after his emergence as the Abia APC Chairman during a Special Congress, maintained that only achieving the feat would appease the spirit of his predecessor, Mazi Enyi Harbor, who died after about two months in office.
He noted that he was coming to serve Abia APC at a critical period, with the general election less than 13 months away.
According to the renowned banker, his responsibility would be tasking as it was coming at a time when the ruling PDP in the state wants to retain power by all means in 2023, despite its 24 years of misrule and mal-administration.
“The time for the needed change in the state has begun in earnest,” said Ononogbu who described his predecessor, Mazi Harbor, in a tribute, “as a very honest, committed and sincere leader,” stressing that Abia APC members owe late Harbor a duty to strive to achieve the goal of sacking PDP from power in the 2023 Abia governorship election in order to set a new agenda for the governance of the state.
Onogbu, an ex-banker who was a former General Manager, Risk Management, Spring Bank Plc and also served as Chief Inspector of Citizens Bank Plc, thanked members of the party for finding him capable to steer the ship of the party in the state and appealed for their support always.
He succeeds late Mazi Enyi Harbor who emerged during the October 2021 State Congress of the party and died last December, thereby leaving the office of the Chairman vacant.
Chairman of the Special Congress Committee, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde, who announced the result of the congress held in Umuahia last Saturday, said Ononogbu, the sole candidate in the exercise, polled 1,067 votes out of 1,075 cast.
According to the two-term former federal lawmaker from Ondo State, 1, 080 of the 1, 085 delegates were accredited for the congress, adding that the exercise recorded eight void votes and “was fair and transparent just as was directed by the leadership of the party under the chairmanship of Governor Mai Mala Bunu of Yobe State.”
The immediate past Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Benedict Godson, said at the Congress that dissenting voices were harmonised after the parallel congresses held by factions of the party last year and pledged his loyalty to new APC state helmsman.
Godson, who led four other officers produced by the previous parallel state congress conducted by the former executive committee of the party led by Chief Donatus Nwankpa to the Saturday’s congress, added that prospect of victory for Abia APC in next year’s election remain high.
Others who spoke at the congress include; the Deputy Chief Whip representing Umunneochi/Isuikwuato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Nkiruka Onyejeocha and Barr Friday N. Nwosu, a leader of the party in the state.
Independent National Electoral Commission officers from both the national headquarters, Abuja and the state, along with different security agencies, monitored the congress which was peaceful.
