2023: Tinubu declares stand on squabble over APC governorship ticket in Abia

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has backed Ikechi Emenike as the APC governorship candidate for the 2023 election in Abia State.

Mr Tinubu stated this on Tuesday during the APC presidential rally in Umuahia.

“The two (factional governorship) candidates still pretend to be in court. Whether in court or not in court, my position is clear here: Ikechi Emenike has gotten the flag of our party,” he said.

How it began

The APC in Abia State is split into two factions because of internal leadership tussles.

Mr Emenike and Uche Ogar had emerged as the APC governorship candidates in Abia State from two parallel primaries held on 26 May.

A Federal High Court in Abuja later, on 11 November, nullified the primary, which produced Mr Emenike and affirmed Mr Ogah as the Abia APC governorship candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state.

Both APC and Mr Emenike filed separate appeals challenging the judgement of the court.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on 23 December upheld the election of Mr Emenike as the governorship candidate of the party in the state.

Mr Ogar was said to be considering filing another suit against the Appeal Court judgment.

Tinubu’s call for dialogue

But Mr Tinubu, during the presidential rally in the state, appealed to Mr Ogar to withdraw his outstanding suits in court against Mr Emenike and come back for dialogue.

“Please stop all court actions. Come and see me. Come home, let us resolve our matter in our living room,” he said.

The APC presidential candidate said it was improper to take their “family affairs” to court.

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“We are the politicians. We will put the party together. We follow the footsteps of our fathers. We joined APC together to salvage Nigeria from all kinds of frustrations and ignorance.

“Why are you taking it (the party affairs) to the third party? Please Uche, come home. Let’s talk this matter over,” Mr Tinubu added.

Mr Emenike was later presented with the APC’s flag by the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, represented by the party’s Deputy National Chairman, South, Emma Eneukwu.