APC: Abia has never had free, fair election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Abia State, Donatus Nwankpa, has said that since the 1999 general elections, the state has never had a free and fair election.

Nwankpa, who said this while speaking with Daily Trust in Umuahia, the state capital, said the challenge had been robbing the people of credible representatives and leaders.

“I make bold to say without any fear of contraction, that since 1999, there has never been a fair and free election in this state at whatever level and this is very disheartening,” he also said.

He accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of masterminding the electoral fraud, saying that “with the APC now at the center, those illegalities have come to an end for good.”

Speaking on the level of preparedness of his party for the 2019 general elections, Nwankpa said though it was not yet a campaign period, the people were already yearning for a change of government.

“They are doing so because they have realized the failure of this government which was by all means not their choice in 2015. They have noticed its lack of vision and bearing,” he also said.

A one-time member of the state House of Assembly representing Osisioma Ngwa South State constituency, accused the government of failing to deliver on its campaign promises.

Nwankpa, who said Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is not better than his predecessor, Senator Theodore Orji, accused the governor of failing to place the state in its proper economic position. The former lawmaker said the party was not happy with the government’s failure to pay civil servants and pensioners their salaries and pensions as at when due.

He expressed optimism that come 2019, the APC would take over the state at all levels in view of the quality leadership it delivered in some states and at national level.