By Ugochukwu Alaribe

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Hon. Chris Nkwonta, has tasked the people of Abia South senatorial district to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) and work hard to ensure the party wins all the seats in the 2027 general elections.

The lawmaker, who urged party leaders in the zone to embark on an aggressive membership drive, insisted that the APC must improve from what he described as third-rate performance in the 2023 polls to emerge as the leading political party in the zone in 2027.

Addressing party faithful from the six council areas of Aba South district at Akwete, Nkwonta, who represents Ukwa West/Ukwa East federal constituency, warned that the people of the area would enjoy more dividends of democracy when they vote massively for the APC.

He said, “If you are in a party and you don’t win an election, you are doing nothing and won’t reap any benefit. We need to recruit more people into the APC. All of us should come together and build the party.

APC came third in the 2023 election. APC has not been as strong as it ought to be in the Abia South zone. In 2027, we must return President Bola Tinubu and win the Abia Government House.

“APC is intact in Abia North. It is not enough to say Aba North Obingwa, Aba South and other areas are intact, but the taste of the pudding is in the eating. The issue is how many people you are bringing to the party. We need to recruit people and tell them why they need to be in APC.

“We must close ranks. There is no Chris Nkwonta faction, no other faction, and you won’t get anything from the centre when you lose. When you make any demand, they will ask how many votes did you bring? You will only be given obscure positions because you didn’t bring an vote. Now is the time to rebuild the party. All of us should unite under one umbrella to build the party. When it is time for election, the party will decide who runs for any position. For me, my major interest is to build the party.”

He commended President Bola Tinubu for his interventions in the South East zone, especially the creation of the South East Development Commission, SEDC. He stressed that the commission has given the zone an opportunity to examine areas of lack, such as roads and railways.

“We need to work harder for Tinubu to win a second term. When he wins, the APC in Abia state will reap huge benefits. We are already reaping the benefits of appointments, projects and the removal of subsidies. He also created the SEDC, which has given us the opportunity to look into the areas in which we are lacking. The SEDC must deliver, you know what I stand for. The South East is in safe hands with President Tinubu.’

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