Abia North Primary : Kalu, Nwagba emerge APC Senatorial Candidates

*As Nwaogu withdraws from Abia Central Senatorial Primary

From boniface okoro, Umuahia

Senate Chief whip, Chief Orji Uzor-Kalu, has won the ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to contest for the Abia North senatorial seat for a second time, just as the former Abia State Social Democratic Party governorship candidate in 2019, Dame Blessing Nwagba, picked the Abia South APC Senatorial ticket.

But a former Senator, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, had to withdraw from the senatorial primary for Abia Central, saying that the method of electing the three-man ad-hoc delegate was untidy and has thrown the primary elections in the state into confusion.

Senator Kalu who emerged unopposed following the stepping down of his opponent, Barr. Fabian Okoronkwo, however, polled 777 votes.

The Returning Officer for the Abia North Senatorial primary election, Chief Paul Onwuka, declared Kalu the winner in Ebem Ohafia, in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State where the election held on Saturday.

In his acceptance speech, Kalu dedicated his victory to the people of the district and promised to attract more projects to the senatorial zone.

He commended Barr. Okoronkwo for his decision to drop his ambition, saying it was in the interest of the senatorial district.

Similarly, a two-time member of Abia State House of Assembly, Dame Blessing Nwagba has emerged the winner of Abia South APC Senatorial Ticket.

Her emergence follows the withdrawal of her rival, Dr kasarachi Enyinnaya, who explained that he dropped out of the race on the advice of the state APC leaders.

The Returning Officer, Brigadier General Victor Nnorom, who reaffirmed Enyinnaya’s withdrawal, went ahead to declare Nwagba  as the winner of the Abia South Senatorial primary and commended everyone for maintaining peace.

Nwagba, the 2019 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), expressed gratitude to the delegates and leaders of the party for finding her worthy to fly the APC flag in the upcoming 2023 general election, promising to prioritize youth and women empowerment if she eventually makes it to the Senate next year.

She told newsmen that she would not be intimidated by the quality of candidates of other political parties in the main election, adding that she was prepared and determined to defeat her opponents.

Speaking at the Aba Recreation Club venue of the election, a member of the APC National Congress Committee, Daniel Swan, described the process as transparent and commended the delegates for conducting themselves well.

Meanwhile, a former Pro-Chancellor of University of Calabar, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, has withdrawn from the APC Senatorial primaries for Abia Central Senatorial district.

In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu, through her Ward Chairman in Isiala Ngwa South, Abia State, Nwaogu, stated she decided to withdraw from the race owing to the undemocratic manner the 3-man delegates primaries in the state was conducted.

She said the undemocratic process has given undue advantage to few individuals, to the detriment of majority of the party members who had wanted to contest the primaries.

The letter partly read: “The undemocratic process in choosing delegates for the primaries, brewed confusion that led to the party having two gubernatorial candidates from two different governorship primaries.

“While Chief Ikechi Emenike emerged through an indirect primary election, the former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, emerged through a direct primary.

“Following the anomalies in the party, I have withdrawn my participation in the Senatorial primary election. I will still remain an active member of our party APC and ready to serve the party in any capacity.”