By James Nwakpa
As a prelude for the conduct of the upcoming local government council elections in Ebonyi State, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has elected the Coordinator, Ekumenyi DC, Hon. Ebere Nwogba and the councillorship candidates across the 14 wards of Abakaliki Local Government Council as the flag bearers of the party in the forthcoming council polls.
The party's primary elections which were conducted today at the council's headquarters, Nkaliki, saw the emergence of Hon. Drogba is the chairmanship candidate of the party on a consensus basis.
Speaking shortly after the exercise the winner of the chairmanship council poll, expressed gratitude to God and to the relevant authorities who considered him worthy to fly the party's flag in the forthcoming local government council elections.
"I feel so happy, so delighted and so privileged. Because out of so many, I was chosen. I am not the best, I am not the wealthiest and I am not the strongest. But it is just by the grace of God, so I feel delighted and I give all thanks to God. And I thank His Excellency, the leader of the state and father of the party for allowing for consensus candidates in all the local governments to reduce rancour and unnecessary acrimony, and today it has been affirmed, and I am very happy" he said.
He promised to unify the local government; to run an open door policy and never to be found wanting in the course of his duties if elected into office as the next Executive Chairman of Abakaliki L.G.A on the 30th of July, 2022.
In his remarks, the APC Chairman of the council, Comrade Paulinus Atam, observed that the just concluded primaries witnessed a peaceful atmosphere, as there was no problem during the exercise.
He added that the state governor, His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi has set a pace for others to emulate, by streamlining the entire process in such a way that every member feels happy about the unprecedented peace and harmony witnessed at the party.
Also, some of the stakeholders of Abakaliki L.G.A, including the leader of the council, Hon. Reuben Ede, the former EBBC Board member, Mr Sunday Akpegu and the former Vice Chairman of the council, Mr John Nwophoke, in their separate but closely related manner, described Hon. Ebere Nwogba is a humble, dedicated and real party man, who has proven his competence and integrity given his records and encouraged him to continue on his good path while wishing him well in his future ambitions.
They assured of the unflinching support of the entire stakeholders of Abakaliki L.G.A in piloting the affairs of the people in the area.
The party also recorded huge success on Thursday by conducting smooth and violence-free councillorship primaries which saw the emergence of credible candidates across the 14 wards of the council area.
Some of the APC card carriers in the councillorship primaries including, Mr Emmanuel Nwankwegu and Hon. Nnanna Ajah from Izzi Unuphu Ward 10 and Timber Shade Ward 14 respectively, pledged their loyalty to the party that elected them and promised never to disappoint the people who gave them the mandate.
In her remarks, the running mate to the APC chairmanship candidate of Abakaliki L.G.A, Mrs Vivian Iyele, applauded the leadership of the party, both at the state and the local government levels for achieving harmony and unity of purpose, which has added to the peace and progress so far enjoyed by all the members of the party.