Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s kinsmen in the nine local government areas of Ukwa Ngwa political bloc of Abia state are currently on war path over the adoption of a consensus governorship candidate in the 2023 poll.
The kinsmen under the aegis of Ukwa Ngwa Council of Elders, is currently embroiled in crisis as various interest groups project their candidates.
The Council is working for the election of a governor from the Umunneato Ngwa area of Ukwa Ngwa zone comprising Isiala Ngwa North, Osisioma Ngwa, Isiala Ngwa South LGAs.
Three sons of the Ukwa Ngwa zone are flying the governorship tickets of their parties in the election. The list includes; Prof. Uche Ikonne (PDP); Engr. Nana Nwafor(YPP) and Bishop Emeka Nwankpa (Accord Party).
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the Council had set up a committee that interviewed Ikonne and Nwafor, as Nwankpa was absent. After the session with the two candidates, crisis had erupted in the council over who to adopt as the consensus candidate.
Nduaguibe explained that the council had set out to ensure a level playing field for all Ukwa Ngwa sons who are flying the governorship tickets of their various parties. However, he alleged that some PDP loyalists led by the former deputy governor insisted on the adoption of Ikonne who is the candidate of their party.
Nduaguibe explained that the Ukwa Ngwa Council of Elders is a non-partisan body which is open to interested elders of the bloc despite their political inclinations.
He further alleged that after the meeting with the candidates, Nwakanma started putting pressure on him to endorse the PDP candidate since Governor Ikpeazu has anointed him as successor.
Nduaguibe also disclosed that his efforts to convince the former deputy governor and other PDP loyalists that the Council needed to wait for the commencement of campaigns to assess the acceptability of candidates by the people angered them.
But in a reaction, Nwakanma said Nduaguibe is prejudiced against other candidates and had on several occasions shown preference for the YPP governorship candidate, Enyinnaya Nwafor.
He also alleged that Nduaguibe has never supported Ikpeazu since he became Governor, adding his activities shows that he has been influenced by financial or political gain and pressured to justify the gratification he has gotten from Nwafor.
The former deputy governor insisted that Nduaguibe only invited members of the council who are sympathetic to views to the meetings as he had been compromised by the YPP candidate.
“It is on this basis that we have been operating. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu nominated Prof. Uche Ikonne as the PDP preferred candidate. Then, YPP came in with Engr. Enyinnaya Nwafor and Bishop Emeka Nwankpa came in with the Accord Party. Our members who are PDP loyalists started urging me to endorse Ikonne as our preferred candidate. Their argument was that as long as the governor has anointed him, we must endorse him. I told them that this wasn’t the principle upon which we started. That we must give a level playing ground to all our children who have secured their party’s endorsements.
“We had a meeting three weeks ago, a committee of eminent personalities of the Ukwa Ngwa council of Elders was set up and they met with the candidates. Bishop Nwankpa did not attend but Ikonne and Nwafor were there. After the meeting, we said that there was still time since the campaigns had not started. We can’t make a decision immediately. When the campaigns start, we will see how the various candidates are accepted by the populace of the state. It is not only Ukwa Ngwa people that are going to vote, but the entire Abia state. But some members who are PDP loyalists started agitating. We later discovered that they had infiltrated our whatsapp group with people who are not elders. This was why Dr.Chris Nwagbaoso ordered all the PDP loyalists who were insisting that Ikonne must be endorsed, to exit. They have formed their PDP Elders council with Chief Acho Nwakanma as chairman. We are not worried about that, but the Ukwa Ngwa council of Elders, which I lead, cannot endorse any candidate at this time. I explained to them that there are cases in court that are yet to be decided. Campaigns have not started. INEC has also extended the timeline for the publication of candidates. So, what is the urgency in endorsing a candidate at this time? This is the problem we have with them. The council is not an agency of the state government. It doesn’t belong to PDP or Ikpeazu. It is also not an extension of any political party. We stand alone on our own, we are apolitical. The problem is that our people are impatient. It is unfortunate that members of the PDP find it difficult to be principled. We started on a clean note with understanding. Why will they want to force me midway to make a declaration? I’m not going to make such a declaration because it is not a principled thing to do at this time.”
Nwakanma said; “Without prejudice to his inalienable rights to harbour in his heart some fondness for Engr Nwafor, Dr Nduaguibe should have maintained a neutral position in as much as he presides over the affairs of the multi-dimensional council. Dr Nduguaibe’s statement clearly shows that he has been influenced by financial or political gain and thus pressured to justify whatever gratification he may have received in the ploy to push through an endorsement for his preferred candidate. Dr Nduaguibe has used my person and goodwill to try to come back to the lime-light. Before now he had been totally unsupportive of the government of Okezie Ikpeazu. However, I rehabilitated his image and he came under my cover. He told a blatant lie when he said I had acknowledged that Enyinnaya Nwafor is a better candidate at the August 9 meeting.”