APC Abia: Drama, as Ward Committee chairman denies ‘absconding with disgruntled elements’

[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]

Seven-man Congress Committee dispatched by the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct the party’s ward congress in Abia last Saturday has denied conducting a factional congress.

Chairman of the Abia APC Congress Committee Hon. Sonny Israel Goli explained that when his team arrived in Umuahia last Friday, it invited party faithful to a stakeholders’ meeting where the Committee addressed Abia APC members on modalities for the exercise.

Goli made the clarification following reports that the APC Chairman in Abia, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, had declared his team wanted.

Drama had ensued Saturday afternoon, while, as the Ward Congress was in progress, Nwankpa, addressing newsmen at the party’s Azikiwe Road State Secretariat in Umuahia, declared the Congress Committee wanted, saying he and his executive have been unable to establish contact with the Committee; which members were in the field monitoring the exercise.

Nwankpa who maintained that there was no faction in Abia APC, accused the Ward Congress Committee of “absconding with disgruntled elements of the party to scuttle the activities” of Abia APC, adding that the team had come to Abia to so crisis in the party.

“APC in Abia has no faction. It was an error for the National Working Committee not to send the names of the Congress Committee members to us and efforts made to reach them through calls and text messages proved abortive,” Nwankpa said.

He maintained, that since the court litigations threatening the legitimacy of the National Working Committee of APC did not affect his (Nwankpa-led State) executive, those sent to conduct the Ward Congress in Abia ought to have dealt with his team which, he claimed, has the records of those aspiring for positions in the ward executives.

But addressing newsmen in Umuahia after his team had monitored the conduct of the ward congresses in some local government areas across the state, Goli denied excluding anyone from participating in the exercise.

Insisting that the Abia APC Congress Committee did not conduct any factional ward congresses, Goli said that on arrival in Umuahia  last Friday, the Committee invited party faithful to a stakeholders meeting where he addressed them.

“I don’t think it is true that my Committee conducted a factional ward congress in Abia. In things like this, definitely, those that are not favoured by the outcome of the Congress will come up with such allegations. We cannot accept that as the true version of what has happened today because it was an all inclusive exercise.

“Everybody was called yesterday (Friday) for a stakeholders meeting. Anybody that refused to come, that is his own business because I addressed the stakeholders meeting and told everybody that it is an all-inclusive event. I don’t think this committee is part of side lining anybody.

“Our own is to come and oversee the exercise, which we have done. We are not attached to any individual, all we do is to ensure that all members of the party are given the right to contest for whatever position they want to vie for. That is what we have done,” Gold said.

According to him, his Committee was neutral in discharging its mandate. 

Goli who is the member representing Nembe/Brass Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives praised party members for their conduct while the congress lasted.

“I think the turnout was quite impressive and commendable. And the attitude towards the Congress is quite commendable as well. Generally, we are impressed with the outcome and then, the behaviour of the people as well,” he said of his impression about the exercise.

He said the results of congresses were ready with Ward Congress Committee members his team set up to handle the exercise at that level.

House of Representatives member, Hon. Nkeiru Onyjeocha (representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency) and a state lawmaker, Barr. Emeka Okorafor, representing Isuikwuato State Constituency, who spoke at Ezingodo ward in Isuochi, Umunneochi local government area and Ezere Ward 2, Ovim in Isuikwuato local government area respectively after monitoring the congress, said the congress was peaceful and witnessed massive turn out of party members.