As politicians and political parties strategise ahead of the 2019 General Elec­tion, the main opposition All Progressive Congress ( APC) party in Abia State has set its eyes on Gov Okezie Ikpeazu saying he will still claim the gover­norship seat of the state.
Indications to this emerged yesterday as the party said the likes of Ik­peazu had value to add to the party.
Chairman of APC in the state, Hon Donatus Nwapka in an exclusive telephone interview with The AUTHORITY in Umuahia, said the party’s door is wide open for the governor and others will­ing to join the party.
There have been insin­uations that Gov Ikpeazu who came to power on the platform of the Peo­ples’ Democratic Party ( PDP) is contemplating defecting to APC after his current legal tussle with Dr Uche Ogar, a rumour he has flatly denied.
His Chief Press Sec­retary, Mr Enyinnaya Apollos, had earlier dis­missed the speculation as unfounded and cheap propaganda by those bent on causing disaffection in the state.
But Nwankpa said APC would gladly receive the governor if he made up his mind to join the party.
“Our party is like a church which does not reject anyone who re­pents. So, anybody in­cluding Ikpeazu who is interested in our party is free to join.”
The APC boss, howev­er, boasted that the party had done enough work to claim Abia in 2019, explaining that Ikpeazu’s defection to the party would only be for his own political advantage.
“The best option for him is to join the winning party”, Nwankpa said.
He, however, said there would be no preferential treatment to anybody in selecting the party’s flag bearer in 2019, insisting that the party will strictly adhere to due process and internal democracy.
“The party has a pro­cedure in choosing our candidates, and we will follow the rules”, he said.-The Authority