2023 Guber: Ex-Abia APC Assembly candidate, Onwuneme decamps to LP
By Cephas Chijindu
Ahead of march 18th Governorship and state house of assembly elections in Abia state, a youth right advocate and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Engr Nwabueze Onwuneme, has defected to Labour Party (LP) in the state.
Onwuneme, a former Abia house of assembly candidate of the APC for Umuahia North Constituency seat during the concluded 2019 general elections, announced his formal entry into the Labour Party Wednesday, shortly after being registered at his Afugiri ohuhu ward in umuahia north local government area of the state by the ward chairman of the party, Elder Ogbonna.
Speaking, the Abia-born telecom engineer, also hinted that he arrived at the decision to join Labour Party after a thorough and wide consultations with critical stakeholders and key political players within his immediate local constituency, senatorial district, and as well, outside the state.
Onwuneme noted Abia people and large population of Nigerian citizens have lost confidence and hope in this current democratic system in the country under the leadership of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he also said, was necessitated by lack of demonstration of capacity by present crops of elected political leaders and office holders in the state, and the country at large.
He insisted that Abia citizens must get it right in the choice of leaders as the state governorship seat election comes up on Saturday March 11th 2023, so as to ensure good policies are formulated and implemented tilted at enhancing people’s welfare, and engender genuine development in every parts of the state when they get elected into political offices.
Mr Onwuneme who further opined that labour party is being embraced today by majority of population of electorates in the state and the nation at large, because its ideology is hinged on people’s welfare, described LP as the only alternative to Abia and Nigeria economic recovery and rejuvenation, and rapid transformation in state’s Infrastructure.
His words: “I am here to formally register as member of Labour Party in my Afugiri ohuhu electoral ward in umuahia north local government area in Abia. Recall earlier, i was a PDP member, and dumped the former ruling party for APC, because of the misrule of the former ruling party in Nigeria, in our dear state, most especially, obvious failure and lack of capacity to address the myriads of problems impeding Abia’s economic and Infrastructural development.
“The All Progressives Congress, the APC, where i left to register as new Labour Party member, is riddened with internal crisis and clashes of interests by its major leaders and critical party stakeholders. You can bear me a witness on what has been transpiring in fold of the party in the state.
“Many people have abandoned the APC in Abia because of lack of show of committment, determination, sincerity and seriousness to secure a win as regards to Abia gubernatorial seat or form a democractic government in Abia state in every electioneering year. Not to talk of winning majority of elective political offices or seats in the state.
“So, my registration today as Labour Party member is borne out of its democratic ideology and principles which is peoples-oriented and development-oriented. It is equally borne out of the current overwhelming acceptability and popularity it enjoys among large population of Abia electorates, as they demonstrated it at the concluded 2023 presidential and national assembly elections conducted by INEC across all states of the federation on 25th february 2023.
“However, there is no gainsaying the fact LP has come to say and i have the strong belief that my new party will engender effective and responsive leadership in all stratas of Abia state for our good, growth and development in our God’s Own State. I am very confident and optimistic Labour party will triumph in the forthcoming electoral process fixed for March 11, 2023 by the commission”.