Some leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Abia North senatorial zone under the aegis of Concerned Abia North All Progrssive Congress (APC), have withdrawn its support for the candidacy of Senator Orji Kalu in the coming 2023 election.

This was conveyed in a press statement signed by its Secretary, Kingsley Okorie and made available to journalists on Tuesday in Umuahia.

The group accused the Chief Whip of the Senate of anti-party activities, lack of representation of the interests of the people of Abia North. They stated that the former governor is only campaigning for himself and his younger brother that is running for governor under APP.

Consequently, it resolved to adopt and support Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 Senatorial election for Abia North.

During the same press conference, they insisted that they will vote against Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, but will vote other APC candidates including High Chief Ikechi Emenike.

They further revealed that Sen. Orji is behind all the internal crisis in the party as he has made every attempt to resolve the issues impossible. READ FULL PRESS RELEASE BELOW: 

PRESS STATEMENT – concerned Abia North APC

We the concerned members of Abia North All Progressive Congress (APC), have henceforth, withdrawn our support for Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for the following reasons:

. It’s no longer news that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is self-serving and very selfish. His sole interest led him to float the APP party in order to support his younger brother’s governorship ambition. Why will he be in APC and be indirectly supporting his brother to become Governor in APP against the APC governorship interest? Such attitude is totally condemnable and inimical to the growth and interest of our party, the APC.

. The same Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is the brain behind all the crisis in Abia APC and he cannot deny it. We challenge him to show proof of the last time he attended any APC event in Abia yet he is occupying a high position in the Senate with the platform of the party. Where then is his love or care for the party?

. Due to his grandstanding and self-serving tendencies, he is bent on destroying APC in Abia. He is busy telling his constituents not to vote for APC during the governorship election. He wants them to vote APC only in the presidential and national assembly elections but APP in the governorship poll. This is the height of selfishness.

. We are also disappointed that since he went to the Senate, Abia North has not been well represented at the upper legislative chamber. Our voice is rarely heard, and when it is heard it will be a comic relief. He has equally not shown enough interest in championing the cause of Abia North. Instead, he is busy pursuing shadows and championing other causes that will benefit safeguard his political interest.

Consequent upon the above and other anti-party activities of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, we have decided to withdraw our support for him. This decision was reached after he failed to repent of his bad ways. He snubbed several appeals to him to stop his anti-party activities.

As Concerned APC members, we cannot fold our arms and allow things to keep getting bad. We have over 20,000 dedicated members and field soldiers in our fold.

We, hereby, state our resolve to work against his second term bid. We will not allow him to be using our collective mandate to ruin our future. Enough is enough. We cannot support a self-centred individual whose stock in trade is to constantly cause confusion everywhere he goes.

We feel that time has also come for a more patriotic person who truly loves Abia North to represent the zone in the Senate. Abia North cannot afford to be represented again by an individual who is always seeking his own selfish interest at the detriment of the entire zone’s interest.

Having looked at the antecedents of all the senatorial candidates for Abia North in all the political parties, we have decided to support Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Today, we adopt and declare our total support for Senator Ohuabunwa. He needs to return to the Senate to give Abia North a better representation.

Signed

Kingsley Okorie Secretary, Concerned Abia North APC