Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Senator Nkechi Nwaogu who represented Abia Central in the sixth and seventh Senate, has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial contest scheduled for today (Saturday).
She likened the APC ticket in the state to Zimbabwean dollar or tissue paper, while decrying the factionalisation in the party.
Nwaogu who announced her withdrawal from the race while addressing newsmen in Umuahia, cited the confusion arising from the emergence of two governorship candidates in parallel primaries as reason for her action.
She expressed displeasure that the APC in Abia could not leverage on its growing goodwill to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2023, due to selfish interests and the inability of the national leadership of the party to properly address the challenge in the state chapter of the party.
She blamed the National leadership of the party for failing to rise to the occasion.
“The leadership ought to have reconciled us. How can the National Working Committee write a letter about sharing formula and people won’t respect it?
“The people who came to monitor the exercises in Abia came with letters purportedly signed by the same people at the national leadership.
In a letter addressed to her Ward Chairman, Nwaogu wrote: “I write to express my total disappointment in the ongoing, protracted division in our Abia State chapter of APC.
“The undemocratic manner of the emergence of the purported delegates has further fuelled the division in the party.
“As a result, this has led to two different primaries in the same election – one group using direct mode of primary and the other using indirect mode of primary.
“Consequently, two governorship candidates emerged – High Chief Ikechi Emenike, and Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah. Under this uncertainty, I find it very difficult to participate in the forthcoming senatorial primary election slated for Saturday, May 28.
“I Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, hereby withdraw my participation in the forthcoming senatorial election. I will still remain an active member of our great party, and ever ready to serve the party in any capacity where my services may be required.”
Addressing newsmen later, Senator Nwaogu likened APC ticket in Abia to “a tissue paper or Zimbabwe dollar” due to factionalisation.
“In view of the massive rift, the bad blood and our losing of the goodwill of the people and subjecting Abians to look for another party for salvation I have decided to withdraw.
“I can’t participate in the shenanigan going on in the state. I can’t participate in the primary that can only produce fake dollar, Zimbabwean dollar that has no value.
“Eventually I will be vindicated next year when the general election will come up.
“Anybody holding a ticket here is just holding a tissue paper because we have lost it. I don’t want to waste my money.
“It is regrettable that APC in Abia cannot put its house in order to remove the PDP which has been in power for 20 years, but the opportunity is lost.
“How can APC with the avalanche of goodwill that people have for the party as a result of abysmal failure and mis-governance by the PDP disappoint the people?
“My heart is heavy that we have made efforts to have a formidable party but regrettably, the party remains a charade.”
