Ngor Okpala APC stakeholders, party faithful divided over Mbata’s Senate candidacy
…Threaten to vote massively for Mazi Chima Amadi …List conditions for dialogue
By Ezeji Chimezie
There is palpable tension within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ngor Okpala LGA chapter, following unresolved issues arising from the recently concluded National Assembly primaries, our correspondent gathered.
Our political correspondent, who monitored a leadership meeting of the ruling party held at Obiangwu/Ezemba Ward 10, gathered that stakeholders and party faithful who attended the meeting expressed displeasure over what they described as betrayal by some party leaders in the LGA.
The Ward Chairman, Mr Ogu Christopher, who made a presentation on behalf of the party faithful to the former Secretary to the Government of Imo State and 2023 APC governorship aspirant, Chief George Eche, said their son, Dr Chijioke Kaduru, a former senatorial aspirant, had invested heavily in the party through his foundation’s empowerment programmes across the nine LGAs in Owerri Zone.
According to him, Kaduru had been the major financier of party meetings in Ngor Okpala LGA, where he disbursed the sum of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) each across the eleven political wards.
He alleged that despite Kaduru’s contributions, what he received in return was sabotage from some leaders of the party who preferred a senatorial candidate from Owerri North LGA.
The Director General of NKWACHIKWERE Organization, Comr Chukwuma Anuforo, disclosed that they had expected strategic meetings with Dr Chijioke Kaduru’s campaign team to properly integrate his supporters into the party’s election plans.
Anuforo, however, alleged that some leaders were more interested in how to manage election funds instead of reaching out to party supporters aggrieved by the outcome of the National Assembly primaries.
According to him, the development has led to an exodus of party members across the eleven political wards in the area.
“APC card-carrying members are moving in droves and positioning themselves in the opposition Action Peoples Party, APP. Ngor Okpala electorates will vote massively for Mazi Chima Amadi of the APP if the leadership of the party at the state level doesn’t intervene,” he said.
Anuforo maintained that the support base of NKWACHIKWERE Organization cuts across the nine LGAs in Owerri Zone, adding that its members were awaiting further directives.
“NKWACHIKWERE Organization support base cuts across the nine LGAs in Owerri Zone and our people are waiting for directives, which we shall definitely address in no distant time,” he said.
Among the conditions presented by NKWACHIKWERE Organization, the political structure of Dr Chijioke Kaduru, was that Kaduru should lead the APC Senate campaign in Ngor Okpala LGA.
The group also demanded that every party leader should return to his ward and polling unit to work for the party instead of, according to it, giving the impression that all was well with the APC in Ngor Okpala LGA.
Thirdly, the group called on the governor to call to order party leaders who claim to be apex leaders despite allegedly no longer having electoral value in their respective wards.
Anuforo also appealed to Chief George Eche to distance himself from leaders he described as forces militating against the development of Ngor Okpala LGA.
He warned that if the conditions were not addressed, the APC could experience an abysmal outing during the election.
“Dr Chima Amadi (Mazi G gburugburu) has penetrated our strongholds and if nothing is done, Ngor Okpala LGA would be a walkover for him come January 16, 2027,” Anuforo added.
Responding, the former Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Chief George Eche, aligned himself with the concerns raised by his ward stakeholders and supporters.
Eche said he would not oppose the aspiration of any APC aspirant from Ngor Okpala LGA, but accused Okenze Sylvester Obinna of failing to provide leadership when it was needed.
He appealed for calm and assured the stakeholders of continued engagement aimed at finding a solution to the disagreement threatening the unity of the party in the LGA.
Meanwhile, political watchers have interpreted the development as potentially benefiting the Senate candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Dr Matthew Chima Amadi.
Our correspondent also gathered that the APC Chairman in Ngor Okpala LGA, Hon Daberichi Akwa, had reached out to the Ward 10 Chairman, Mr Ogu Christopher, asking him to issue a rejoinder to an earlier publication in which conditions were reportedly given before supporting Prince Alex Mbata, the APC Senate candidate.
Ogu, however, reportedly declined, maintaining that he stood by the decision of his party faithful.
According to him, “Which publication should I refute? Is it the one that the entire ward stakeholders decided or the one made by the Director General of NKWACHIKWERE Organization?
“For your information, before and after the party primaries, no leader has reached out to me to assist in party meetings except Comr Chukwuma Anuforo. I will always stand by him and his principal,” he said.
The development has further raised questions over the direction of Dr Chijioke Kaduru’s supporters across the nine LGAs in Owerri Zone ahead of the January 16, 2027 National Assembly election.
With NKWACHIKWERE Organization insisting on its conditions, the APP could potentially benefit from the disagreement if the APC fails to reconcile its aggrieved members and structures before the election.
