A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in Abia State, Chief Ikechi Emenike, has come under attack over the alleged snub of a former senatorial candidate, Chief Chris Nkwonta, during the latter’s Christmas visit to his (Emenike’s) country home in Umukabia Ohuhu in Umuahia North LGA of the State.
Nkwonta , an APC chieftain from Ukwa East LGA, who just defected to his former party, PDP, had visited Emenike but was allegedly snubbed by the latter who also refused to release his phone number to the ex senatorial candidate.
Contacted, Nkwonta confirmed the incident alleging that Emenike actually snubbed him during his Christmas visit to his residence in Umuahia, but insisted that he doesn’t want to talk further on the matter.
However, the APC in a statement by its publicity secretary, Mr.Okey Ezeala, described the report making the rounds that Emenike insulted Nkwonta as spurious and baseless and urged the public to disregard it as ranting from failed political blackmailers.
The party further dismissed reports that Emenike had also driven out from the APC, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu; Hon. Benjamin Kalu; Dr. Alex Otti ; Minister of State for Steel and Mines Development; Dr. Uche Ogah and much other baseless allegations to portray the highly respected Chief Ikechi Emenike in bad light.
“Chief Ikechi Emenike never insulted Chief Chris Nkwonta either this Christmas or at any time at all. This is because Chief Chris Nkwonta visited Chief Ikechi Emenike sometimes in November 2021 and Chief Ikechi Emenike in his characteristic hospitality entertained Chief Nkwonta with kolanuts and drinks as tradition Ndigbo demands.
“The two gentlemen had discussions about Abia APC politics and whatever were the demands of Chief Nkwonta from Chief Ikechi Emenike. Chief Chris Nkwonta is still alive to say so but a question of Chief Ikechi Emenike refusing to give Chief Nkwonta his phone number is a very trivial insinuation because a man who allowed you attend a meeting with him and entertained you but refusing to give you his phone number does not add up when you are face to face with him. It is not enough to say Chief Ikechi Emenike refused to give Chief Nkwonta his phone number and chased out Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Benjamin Kalu, Alex Otti, Dr. Uche Ogah and insulted Nkwonta.”
The party alleged that Nkwonta was invited to an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Obingwa LGA on Christmas day where Emenike requested to have further meeting with him but Nkwonta failed to attend.
However, Nkwonta was said to have resigned from the APC and joined the PDP the next day.
“It is without doubt that Chief Chris Nkwonta publicized his letter of resignation from APC on 28th December, 2021 and joined the PDP, so can it stand on the face of logic and reason that Chris Nkwonta left APC because according to the anonymous writers that Chief Ikechi Emenike refused to give him phone number.”
“To the best of our knowledge, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is still in APC campaigning for the postponement of the APC National Convention. Hon. Benjamin Kalu is an elected APC member, Dr Alex Otti is also a member at large and that the Honourable Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah is still a member of APC and the only Minister from Abia State. Are they saying the mentioned names have all been driven or scared out of the APC by one man , Chief Ikechi Emenike?
“The APC truth is that some former officers and even elders of the APC in Abia State were working for the PDP Government of Abia State as if the APC in Abia State was a parastatal of Abia State Government. Many of the said APC elders and former officers are still neck deep in working for the PDP Government in Abia State as could be seen in various ceremonies and where the Abia State Government honoured some APC members holding federal government positions and where in less than one week later, some newspaper outfit owned by a top APC leader honoured and gave award to the PDP government officials in Abia State for excellent performance in the governance of the State.
“All these scenarios are glaring. Going forward the APC both at national and Abia State levels organized the party Congresses last year and elected offices at the wards LGAs and State levels who are known non members and non supporters of the PDP Government of Abia State.
“These roughing of feathers engendering anonymous write ups against Chief Ikechi Emenike are direct consequences of dislodging PDP strangle hold of APC in Abia State before 2021 Congresses. It was the vast majority of APC delegates who rejected these notorious politicians and their proxies in the last 2021 State Congresses, not the State Leader who voted like everyone else.
“There is freedom of association whereby persons can join any political party of their choice but to do so through maligning a leader of High Chief Ikechi Emenike’s standing is to say the least very irresponsible and the party will not sit and watch sponsors of such go unpunished henceforth.”
