The Obuzor Ward chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State,on Thursday, at the home of the Chairman of the Ward, Comr. Kingsley Chinonso Ebere, received the immediate past Transition Chairman of the Local Government Council, Chief Sylvanus Nwaji, into the party.
It should be recalled that the Ward, recently, issued a communique denying the fact that Nwaji was a member of the APC.
Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Chairman, Abia State APC Caretaker Committee, Chief Ogunka Adiele John, who is from Obuzor Ward, stated that the large gathering of APC members, including some leaders of the party in Ukwa West, was a testimony to the fact that the defection of the former Chairman to the party at the ward level was a welcome development.
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He said, “I am here today to correct every negative impression out there that was intended to input disunity into the Obuzor Ward chapter of the APC. By virtue of Nwaji’s selfless service to Ukwa and Abia State at large since 1999 when he joined party politics, he deserves to be accorded resounding reception by the people of his Ward.
“We need strong people to fight this fight of getting into the Abia State government house in 2023. I want to assure, as one of the leaders of APC in Abia State, that your journey into APC is a welcome development.
Chief John stressed the fact that the constitution of the party which encapsulates how things should be done has to be respected, adding that no person in the entire Obuzor Ward APC wanted to prevent Nwaji from joining the party.
According to him, “there is no way I can stop any person from coming into APC; more so, the greater the number of people who are in the party, the brighter the chances of bringing APC into governance in Abia State”.
In his own speech, the Zonal Legal Adviser of the party, Barr. Levi Isiguzo expressed optimism that the defection of the former Transition Chairman into the APC would strengthen the party and urged him to take advantage of the registration and revalidation exercise that would commence on January 25, 2021, to ensure that the people of his Ward registered massively in the party.
He said, “what is important for us now is how to work together to dislodge the PDP and enthrone a visionary and people-centered government in Abia State”.
Speaking after he was handed a broom, which is the symbol of the APC, by the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Obuzor Ward, Chief Nwaji said that it was not possible for him to ignore his Ward, but that he only thought it wise to confer with his political mentor, former governor of Abia State and the Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, before complying with the necessary protocols required in joining a party.
“I was part of the team that brought APC to Abia State. I am a foundational member. I went to see the man who made me in politics in his house and he insisted that I should be handed a broom immediately to avoid changing my mind on the way back home and I am happy it happened that way because anything could have happened along the way. I cannot ignore my Ward”, he said.
Nwaji said his decision to join the APC was not to block anyone, rather strengthen the party in order to facilitate victory in future elections. He said, “My challenge is let us win. I will make sure that we get whatsoever we desire in the party. I have not come to take any person’s position or obstruct any person’s aspiration in the party”.
He said he had empowered many youths in Ukwa and intended to continue in the same direction.
Earlier in his welcome address, the leader of the Ward, Barr. Sam Ogbonna said the APC needed prominent people like Nwaji to win elections, stressing that the negative reactions which trailed the news of his defection to the party were to ensure that proper things were done.
He urged him to carry everyone along in the fight of liberating Abia State from the stranglehold of the PDP, adding that he could count on the total cooperation of members of the party in Obuzor Ward.
Ogbonna said, “You should recognise everyone and give everyone his or her due. Do not see anyone as your enemy“.
The occasion, which witnessed a large turn-out also had the presence of the former State Deputy Chairman of Abia State APC, Chief George Nwancha, former Ukwa West LG Chairman, Mr. Ibe Nworgu, the Ukwa West APC Youth Leader, Comr. Chukwu Ogbuji and Mr. ThankGod Ntaku, the Media Director to Chief Sir Marc Inyanagbo Wabara, the leader of Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency. Other APC leaders present were former Deputy Chairman of Ukwa West APC, Chief Chijioke Nza jnr., Apostle Abraham Isiguzo, Onyemaechi Dimgba, Nkemdirim Onyeike, and Emeka Vincent.
