Stephen Oko, Umuahia
Women leaders of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Abia State, have intervened in the legal fireworks against the governorship candidate of the party, Professor Greg Ibe.
Three governorship aspirants who lost to Ibe at the May 29 primaries – Etigwe Uwa (SAN), Gen. Ijioma. N Ijioma, and Chief Chikwe Udensi, have respectively approached the Federal High Court Umuahia, to challenge Ibe’s victory.
But displeased with the legal tussle over the governorship ticket of the party, the women leaders passionately appealed to all the litigants to sheath their swords and join hands with Ibe in his bid to rescue the state.
The women leaders who made the appeal while addressing the press after their consultative meeting at the party’s secretariat in Umuahia on Tuesday, urged the affected aspirants to exhibit the spirit of sportsmanship.
Speaking on behalf of the women, the state Woman Leader of the party, Mrs Amarachi Onyekwere, urged the aggrieved aspirants not to renege on their earlier promises to remain and help build the party even if they did not secure the party’s ticket.
She said that only one person could be the party’s flag bearer at a time, hence the need to sheath their swords and close ranks with the governorship candidate.
In her contribution, Aba North LGA Woman Leader, Mrs Nene Michael, begged the aspirants to consider the withdrawal of their suits part of their sacrifices in the efforts to emancipate Abia from the grip of bad leadership.
She claimed that APGA remained the only party to rescue the state and return it on the pathway of progress , urging them not to take any action capable of undermining the electoral fortunes of the party in 2023.
Similarly, Mrs Stella Nwohammuo, pleased with the aggrieved aspirants to embrace the party’s flag bearer in the spirit of sportsmanship.
She appealed to them not to play into the hands of the enemies of the party looking for opportunity to take political advantage of the party.
“Please, we beg you to sheath your swords and support the party’s candidate in the interest of all.”
Mrs Nwohammuo reminded the aggrieved aspirants that they had told members of the party earlier that their joining APGA was to help build the party, vowing never to leave it for whatever reason.
