APC faults Ukwa Ngwa for banning kinsmen from contesting against Ikpeazu

Chairman, Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Donatus Nwankpa, has described the Ukwa Ngwa people’s decision to bar governorship aspirants in their area from contesting the 2019 election against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as unconstitutional and undemocratic.

Nwankpa, who was a two-time member of the state house of assembly, argued that the decision by the Uwka Ngwa people would do disservice to democracy, especially as Ikpeazu, an Ukwa Ngwa man, belonged to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ukwa Ngwa, which comprises nine of the 17 local council areas of the state, had, while endorsing Ikpeazu at a rally as their sole candidate for the 2019 election, barred other aspirants of the clan from contesting next year.

They threatened to ostracise any of them who disregarded their resolution and directive not to contest for the poll or accept deputy governorship offer from a non Ukwa Ngwa governorship candidate.

Also people of Old Bende Clan comprising eight of the 17 local councils had during a rally at Bende in which they also endorsed Ikpeazu for a second-term in office, barred their sons and daughters from contesting the election against the incumbent in 2019.

Nwankpa during an interaction with journalists in Umuahia, stressed that the directive was undemocratic and unconstitutional even if applied to members of the PDP to which Ikpeazu belongs.

He said that Ukwa Ngwa made the declaration out of fear of APC’s already foreseen victory in the state.