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The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ukwa East and Ukwa West local government areas of Abia State has reaffirmed that Chris Nkwonta is the party’s duly nominated candidate for the Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency.
This was contained in a communiqué at the end of a joint meeting of the APC executives, ward chairmen, working committee members and senior stakeholders from Ukwa East and Ukwa West LGAs at the party’s office in Akwete, Ukwa East LGA. The communiqué, jointly signed by the chairman of the APC in Ukwa East, Chiwuike Ekeke; chairman of the APC in Ukwa West LGA, Success Enyinnaya; secretary of the APC in Ukwa East LGA, Mr. Darlington Iwor and secretary of the APC in Ukwa West LGA, Sir Joe Onyedi-Magnus, was made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
According to the communiqué, the meeting was convened to address what the party described as misleading information circulating on social media regarding its candidate for the House of Representatives seat.
The party leaders stated that they fully participated in the APC’s primary election conducted in line with the Electoral Act, the party’s constitution and guidelines, maintaining that Nkwonta emerged victorious in the direct primary held across all 20 electoral wards of the federal constituency on May 16.
They stressed that Nkwonta’s victory was officially announced by the chairman of the Abia State National Assembly Primary Elections Committee constituted by the National Working Committee, Erasmus Cishak and insisted that his candidature had neither been substituted nor withdrawn at any time.
The stakeholders further argued that the Electoral Act provides clear procedures for the nomination and submission of candidates, noting that no amount of social media propaganda or political pressure could override the provisions of the law.
Citing judicial authorities, they referenced the Court of Appeal judgment in APC v. Loko & Ors. (2022) LPELR-56703 (CA), which held that the outcome of a validly conducted party primary cannot be overturned by an appeal committee of a political party. They also cited the case of Suleiman Alhassan Gwagwa v. Murtala Usman Karshi & 17 Others in support of their position.
The communiqué said the APC primary election was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), thereby validating Nkwonta’s emergence as the party’s flag-bearer for the Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election.
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The party’s leadership consequently urged the APC members and the general public to disregard what it described as false narratives being circulated by mischief makers, reaffirming that the APC remains committed to the rule of law, due process and internal democracy.
The stakeholders congratulated Nkwonta on his emergence and pledged their collective support to ensure his victory at the polls in 2027.
They also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the National Executive Committee of the APC, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and APC leader in Abia State, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the Abia State APC chairman, Chijioke Chukwu and other party leaders for their commitment to justice, due process and democratic principles.
Reaffirming their loyalty to the APC, the leaders declared their unwavering support for Tinubu’s administration and expressed confidence that the party would record a resounding victory in the 2027 elections.
Speaking during the meeting, former member of the House of Representatives and former Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Emeka Stanley, maintained that the APC members overwhelmingly voted for Nkwonta during the party’s primary election held on May 16, stressing that the mandate freely given to him by party members remains valid and unchanged.
Also speaking, an APC stakeholder in the area, Dr. Chidi Nwankpa, insisted that there was no faction within the APC in Ukwa Federal Constituency.
They urged all party members to embrace peace, remain united and work together to ensure the party’s victory in the 2027 general election.
