Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The immediate-past Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah, has accused the loyalists of Chief Ikechi Emenike of misrepresenting the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu in the media over comments credited to him when “they ambushed him” in Abuja.
Ogah who insisted that he is the authentic Leader of the APC in Abia, urged members of the public not to be deceived by the “misleading media reports.”
The former Minister who spoke on the heels of a media report after a meeting in Abuja between Adamu and APC stakeholders from Abia, claimed that the party’s National Chairman never accused him of fomenting trouble in the party contrary to media reports.
Ogah claimed that Emenike’s loyalists who attended the said meeting planted the reports in their desperation to malign him and mislead the public.
Adamu was quoted as describing the Abia APC crisis as “the most toxic in the country,” and allegedly scolded Ogah for “leading a dissident group in the party despite a reconciliation at Ntalakwu.”
The National Chairman was also quoted to have advised Ogah to humble himself and work with the governorship candidate of the APC in Abia, Ikechi Emenike, to ensure victory for the party in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
But Ogah in a swift response, told Ikengaonline that the group did not even have audience with the National Chairman but only met with the Vice National Chairman, South, Chief Emma Enukwu, who they said stood in for him.
Both Ogah and Chief Ikechi Emenike emerged as governorship candidates of the party in a parallel primary, a development that has been a subject of litigation.
While Emenike emerged through indirect primary, Ogah was a product of direct primary.
Ogah insisted that contrary to claims by Emenike’s loyalists in the “misleading media reports,” Adamu never lambasted him but rather told the group at the meeting to return to Abia and settle their differences and never bring Abia matter to Abuja again for settlement.
The former Minister rather claimed it was Emenike “that the National Chairman lambasted and said that he has been creating problem in Abia APC since 2014.”
According to him: “The Chairman tongue-lashed them and said that they should stop coming to Abuja to see him but go home to Abia and campaign and make sure APC is delivered.
“They misinterpreted the National Chairman and peddled lies in his name.
“The so -called committee was a group of people loyal to Emenike because the main APC group which is my group was not part of the committee. So, what are they reconciling?
“They just went to Abuja and ambushed the Chairman and he warned them never to come to Abuja again but go home and do local politics.
“You can’t talk of APC in Abia without me. The Chairman knows this and that is why if he wants to call a meeting he will call me.”
Ogah urged his supporters not to fret but remain unfazed by the media propaganda, expressing optimism that the pending suit in the court will be decided in his favour.
“My supporters should not panic; there is no cause for alarm. Our case is very strong and we are sure that victory will come.”
