Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Immediate-past Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah, has insisted that he is the authentic governorship candidate of the party in 2023.
Ogah who spoke through the Spokesman of his Campaign Organisation, Sir Joshua Ogbonnaya, dismissed the purported reconciliation meeting of APC factions on Saturday at Ikwuano as a gathering of people without electoral values.
At the reconciliation meeting, various gladiators from the two waring camps met and declared ceasefire and collapse of their structures into one united APC under the leadership of Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu as the state Chairman.
They also recognised Chief Ikechi Emenike as the governorship candidate of the party in 2023.
Former Chairman of the party, Donatus Nwankpa led some stalwarts in his camp to the reconciliation meeting held at the Oboro country home of Chief Emeka Atuma.
Gladiators from the camp of Chief Emenike-backed Ononogbu-led leadership of the party, were also in attendance.
Both camps have been in the trenches since 2019.
But some notable APC bigwigs including Ogah, Deputy Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu representing Abia North; Senator Nkechi Nwogu who represented Abia Central in the sixth senate; House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Climate Change, Hon. Sam Onuigbo; former Commissioner for Industry and senatorial aspirant, Chief Henry Ikoh; among others, were conspicuously absent.
Those at the meeting declared cease fire and urged all stakeholders and members of the party to sheath their swords and forge a united front to ensure the victory of the party in 2023.
In a swift reaction, Ogah said that “the so-called meeting had no relevance and can change nothing,” dismissing the attendees as people without electoral values.
Ogah who argued that his emergence as the party’s governorship candidate was in line with the directive of the national leadership of APC, said nobody would snatch his mandate.
He said he remained the popular choice of the masses who participated in the direct primaries that produced him.
“As far as I’m concerned, those people at the said meeting amount to nothing because they are not the grassroots.
“How many of them can win their polling units? Do they have electoral values?
“Ogah emerged from a transparent process and direct primaries as directed by our national leadership. They can’t gather and snatch the people’s mandate just like that.
“Ogah has the support of the grassroots and the masses who want a change in Abia State. His major focus now is on how to win in 2023.”
