APC inaugurates 184 Ward Chairmen in Abia

[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]

Acting Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Abia State chapter, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, has sworn-in 184 Ward Chairmen who emerged victorious in the July 31, 2021 Ward Congresses in the state, charging them to promote unity and harmony in their spheres and lead the party to electoral victories in 2023; a task the ward chairmen said they were eager to accomplish.

Nwankpa who said he was performing the function in compliance with a directive from the APC National Caretaker Committee and an order by Justice C.H. Ahuachaogu of Ukwa Judicial Division.

Acting Legal Adviser to the Abia APC, Barr. Onuoha Merenyechi Nwokoma, administered the oath of office on the new APC grassroots leaders.

Nwankpa told the ward leaders that APC in Abia remains work in progress until the party dethrones the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and occupies Government House, Umuahia.

Nwankpa was represented at the ceremony held at the APC State Secretariat on Azikiwe Road, Umuahia, Wednesday, by his Deputy, also functioning in acting capacity, Chief Ogunka Adiele.

“You are being sworn in because people have reposed confidence in you in your respective wards that you are going to lead this party to victory come 2023,”Nwankpa said.

“You are being sworn to go to your respective localities and ensure coherence, inclusiveness, unity and oneness in the affairs of APC in Abia State,” he added.

Nwankpa enjoined the new Ward Chairmen to be magnanimous in victory, be a father to all, promote and ensure that peace reigned in their wards and bring back aggrieved members into the fold.

“As people who are victorious, we expect that you should be magnanimous in victory, we expect you to be humble in victory, we expect you to be a father to everybody within the APC family in your respective wards.

 “You will all agree with me that whenever there is an election, there will always be grievances. You are not just going to be the chairman of the ward, you are also going to be a peace maker.

“You are being sworn in to reach out to all those who are angry for one reason  or the other, to talk them and win their hearts and minds back to our party, so that we can all march together in unity and defeat PDP in the next election,” Nwankpa said.

Charging them to always bear in mind that unity is strength, as represented by the symbol of APC, the Abia APC Acting Chairman emphasized that the ward chairmen must ensure that party faithful worked together and harmoniously in their respective wards, stressing that unity is strength.

“After being sworn in today, we will want to see you begin to bring everybody together, work out a harmonious co-existence for all our members in your wards, we  expect you to accord respect to whoever deserves respect in your ward; so that at the end of the day, we will be like the broom.

“So please, implement our broom symbol. Go to the wards and work for victory of APC in the coming elections,” he said.

In an interview, Ward Chairman of Ngwaukwu Ward 4 in Isiala Ngwa North local government Area, Iheme Benet, said he was really happy to be sworn in, assuring that he was ready to work for APC’s victory in his ward, local government, Abia State and Nigeria. Iheme expressed confidence that the caliber of people who emerged as APC ward chairmen in Abia would perform.

Also, a chieftain of Abia APC, Sir Maduakolam Kenneth Adighibe (Ijere), said he was “highly overwhelmed and happy” with the crop of people the party has chosen to lead at the grassroots.

He promised that this time around, Abia APC would do its homework well so that the governorship seat of the state would not elude it.