Unite Abia APC, friends task National Welfare Secretary, Nwankpa

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

Major stakeholders of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Abia State and friends of the newly elected National Welfare Secretary of the party, Hon. Donatus Enyinah Chidi  Nwankpa, have tasked him to use his new position and wealth of experience to unite the party in Abia

They made the request on Monday, September 11, 2023, during a mini-reception organised in honour of Nwankpa in Umuahia following his recent emergence as the new National Welfare Secretary of APC. He replaced the former occupant of the office, late Barr. Friday Nwosu, also from Abia State, who passed away early this year. Nwankpa was elected on August 23, and was inaugurated on August 25, 2023.

Coming together under the aegis of Friends of Donatus Nwankpa, the stakeholders welcomed him to the mini-reception where they charged him to use his wealth of experience as a good party administrator to weld Abia APC into a united, strong political family.

In an address delivered on behalf of the group by a former member of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Nwosu, they unequivocally told Nwankpa that though Abia APC parades “the most visible, experienced and electoral result-oriented personalities,” the party was currently carved up into disunited blocks, stressing that that “the disunity amongst and within the blocks deprived the party from attaining electoral victory” in the state during the 2023 polls.

“So much horrendous tasks are before you to unbundle and surmount in Abia APC. It is not outside your knowledge that our party is currently resting on controlled blocks propelled by various leaders and are seemingly incompatible.

“Your ability to assemble these blocks, cement them to an ‘APC whole’ to form one, united indivisible, strong party shall justify your consideration to occupy this exalted office. “Please, our National Welfare Secretary, the bridge builder and achiever per excellence, exhibit your intellectual prowess within the shortest possible time to ensure our party is one,” they appealed and counseled him to discharge his duties at the national level without discrimination. “As you match on, eschew divisive, ethnic sentiment and parochial tendencies as you discharge your duties,” the advised him.

They assured Nwankpa that because of his new position; they would increase their support for the party and work harder for its unity and electoral victories in future.

“As ever, we have remained undaunted in our support for the APC – our great party, with this development, we shall double and increase our gear to ensure our party is strengthened. As grassroots-oriented friends of the latest National Welfare Secretary, we shall support the expansion, development and progress of our party to the point of endearing our party manifesto and programmes to the nooks and crannies of our dear state,” the Friends of Nwankpa assured and pleaded with elders of the party in the 17 local government areas to cooperate with them.

Responding, an elated Nwankpa commended his friends for the gesture and accepted the challenge they have thrown at him to unite the party but noted that it would take team work to actualize.

“This is the time to work. There is no faction, there is no division, there is no block in APC in Abia State. Abia APC is rooted in the culture of collegiate leadership, there is no sole administrator for Abia APC, no single person is the leader of Abia APC. Leadership of APC is a leadership rooted in collaboration, consultation, cooperation, mutual understanding, mutual respect and support for each other,” he said.

The pioneer Chairman of Abia APC told all party members to forget the past as the party in the state has entered into a new era and should be united.

“The last 2023 election is the last we will not come first in Abia. The 2023 election is the last we will not win the governorship of Abia State. We are going to win, not by rigging, not by manipulation, but by the votes of the people. That is why we are going to total political re-engineering from the wards, local governments, zones and the state levels,” the National Welfare Secretary said, urging the faithful to “never give up.”

He said rejuvenating Abia APC was the task ahead and which “is to have a united, friendly brothers’ keepers’ party.”

“The task to takeover Government House Umuahia,” he said, is a task that must be done and it a task for all of us.” He therefore charged his friends to “go and preach peace, no longer division.” He said all should forget the past and forge ahead.

He reminded Abia APC faithful that Chief Ikechi Emenike is the Governorship Candidate of the party and should be supported to reclaim his mandate at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

He expressed gratitude to the people for their support and prayers, as well as many stakeholders from the wards, local governments, states, Zonal and National levels who supported him during the election which produced him and those who have called to congratulate him on his emergence.

He also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, His Excellency, Umar Ganduje for having confidence in his ability to manage the office of the National Welfare Secretary of the party.