Indications have emerged on why the All Progressive Congress, (APC) is yet to make its voice heard as an opposition party in Abia State. 247ureports.com sources hinted that the state chairman of the party, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, is in a secret pact with Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to ensure that the APC does not constitute problem to his administration.
Loading ...The pact, according to the sources, is geared towards protecting the governor from the fangs of the opposition APC in the state since he and Nwankpa both hail from Ukwa/Ngwa bloc which is having her first shot at the governorship seat.
It was also gathered that the pact has left Abia APC in a lame state as Nwankpa smiles home monthly with millions of Naira and patronage from the governor, even as the party’s executive members and faithful lament.
According to a PDP chieftain, Nwankpa is a regular caller at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba and Abuja. “Most times before some of us in the PDP arrive to see the governor, the state APC chairman, Donatus Nwankpa is always there. He has unrestricted access to Gov. Ikpeazu. We always wonder the type of opposition party they are. He is a regular face at the Governor’s Lodge and he doesn’t pretend about it.”
Our correspondent gathered that the APC under Nwankpa’s leadership has not issued a single statement over the governance of the state since Ikpeazu came to power. Despite being the ruling party at the federal level, APC does not have a single seat in the Abia State House of Assembly. Even the March 5, 2016 Aba North state Assembly rerun where the party’s candidate, Elder Uba Omenazu was expected to win as he was adopted by other parties including APGA against the PDP candidate, Mrs Blessing Nwagba, the APC leadership under Nwankpa failed to mobilize support for him and was never seen till the end of the poll.
Nwankpa was never seen neither did he release funds to the party’s candidate as the APC failed to tap the growing discontent in Aba against the PDP. Reports were rife that the governor got Nwankpa to tactically demobilize the APC to ensure the PDP candidate won. Party members, who came out to work for the success of the APC in the rerun, went home disappointed after waiting endlessly, with no directives from the APC leadership. It was no surprise that an APC leader and former governorship candidate, Prince Paul Ikonne, openly campaigned against the APC candidate and worked for the success of the PDP candidate in the election. Nwankpa is yet to react to Ikonne’s anti party activities.
It is on record that APC was the first party to pay condolence visit to Ikpeazu on the mother’s death as Nwankpa led the delegation even when majority of the people of the state had not learnt about the development. Last year, Ikpeazu had attended the wake keep and burial of the APC chairman’s mother in Osisioma Ngwa.
Some members of the APC members in the state, who spoke to 247ureports.comexpressed surprise at the silence of party leaders like Chief Sam Nkire, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, Chief Tony Ukasanya, Comrade Chris Akomas, Senator Chris Adighije, Mrs Eunice Kalu, Chief Eze Chikamnayo, amongst others.
The party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Nyerere Anyim who is believed to have installed Nwankpa, is not known to have reacted to the allegation.
