2027: ”Abia APC Has No Plan, Resorting To Ethnic Sentiments” – Ememanka

Onyebuchi Ememanka, the Director General of the Abia State Bureau of Strategic Communication, has described the gubernatorial campaign of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia State as confused, visionless and disjointed.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ememanka said he has followed Abia gubernatorial politics since 1999 and participated actively since 2015, but has never seen a campaign like that of the Abia APC.

“Having satisfied itself that it has nothing to offer to the people of Abia State in terms of policy alternatives and having become frustrated with the massive support enjoyed by Governor Alex Otti, the Abia APC has now resorted to a very pedestrian and lame political strategy – whipping up of empty ethnic sentiments using the Ngwa nation as a political guinea pig,” he said.

Ememanka, who described himself as a proud son of Ngwaland, said the strategy is dead on arrival and an insult to the sensibilities of Ngwa people.

“I feel deeply outraged that a fellow from Isuikwuato who is incapable of properly hosting a meeting of his kindred is now the one pretending to be speaking for our people. I feel insulted that a man from Umuahia, who, in full public glare poured libations against the Ngwa political aspiration some years ago, is now the one pretending to be leading the march for a so-called Ngwa resurgimento,” he stated.

Ememanka who was reacting to viral video of a popular Abia politician, Chief Charles Ogbonna, saying Dr Alex Otti told himself that “Ngwa people have no brain”, said the people of Ngwa have serious interest in the 2027 election and a commanding majority are supporting Governor Otti’s re-election because he has shown capacity and raised the bar in governance.

“In simple terms, the 2027 gubernatorial election is going to be referendum on the performance of Governor Alex Otti and not a platform to play politics of ethnic chauvinism and tribal jingoism,” Ememanka said.

He argued that APC leaders in Abia North have not openly endorsed their gubernatorial candidate, noting that the party’s principal leader, a former governor and serving senator, openly endorsed Otti’s re-election.

“The APC in Abia State is a party in a crisis of identity. You won’t find one single candidate of the party anywhere in the state whose campaign poster bears the picture of their gubernatorial candidate,” he said.

Ememanka maintained that the 2027 ballot will be about consolidation of development under Otti and not about using Ngwa people to drive meaningless narratives.

“Enough of these insults on the Ngwa Nation,” he added.