Opposition APGA Chairman in Abia, Reverend Augustine Ehiemere, said the Ukwa-la-Ngwa ethnic nationality in the state has suffered untold neglect over the past 20 years under the ruling Democratic Party. popular (PDP).

Ehiemere revealed this on Friday in a statement published in Umuahia and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The statement was released in the context of the ruling PDP’s alleged plot to “poach” APGA House of Assembly candidates from Ukwa-la-Ngwa.

He said the APGA had received information about a plot by the PDP to use its candidates to sabotage the chances of APGA gubernatorial candidate Professor Greg Ibe.

He therefore advised candidates to resist any inducement, financial or otherwise, to lure them out of APGA.

He argued that the plot was to offer candidates “irresistible financial incentives” to defect to the PDP.

“According to our intelligence, their plan is to entice concerned APGA candidates with such hefty financial offers to help deliver PDP gubernatorial candidate Prof. Uche Ikonne to their respective constituencies.

“They also promised to hand over the House of Assembly seats to some of them, while others would be rewarded with political appointments in the imaginary government led by Ikonne,” Ehiemere said.

He described the experience of the people of Ukwa-la-Ngwa under PDP as dismal for anyone to vote for their candidates.

He explained that the nine local government areas of Ukwa-la-Ngwa, including Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s Obingwa, had the worst roads in the state.

Ehiemere expressed sadness that Ukwa has nothing to show in terms of infrastructure and other development indices, despite being the only oil producing region in the state.

He asked, “So why should a well-meaning candidate of Ukwa-la-Ngwa descent succumb to the trap of the PDP?”

He urged APGA candidates “to refuse to have the wrong side of history remembered.

“We urge them to stand up as heroes of democracy and support our gubernatorial candidate in his vision to bring about a new Abia where merit will be placed above other feelings.

“The attempt to free Abia from political slavery is a divine project that should not be truncated or sacrificed on the altar of personal aggrandizement,” he added.

The APGA leader expressed regret that some politicians are desperate to continue “using our common heritage to perpetually maintain the state.

“Never again will we mortgage our future and that of the unborn generation because of pecuniary interests.

“We must not allow those who have assumed the position of kingmakers to use our collective resources to buy our future.

“We must all stand up to ensure that only those with the competence to revive our economy and lift the state out of its current economic slump receive our mandate,” Ehiemere said.

He argued that the PDP had brought misery to the people with delays in the payment of salaries and pensions, in addition to the deplorable state of infrastructure.

He urged the people to reject the pursuit of divine paterism and imposition which he said had brought the state far behind others in the Southeast.

He argued that 2023 “is the time to vote for competence, not mediocrity.

“Abia cannot be left in the hands of emergency philanthropists and billionaire government contractors overnight who feed on the wealth of the Commonwealth of Abia.

“The next governor of Abia must have the ability and a record of achievement, like Professor Ibe,” Ehiemere said.

He described Ibe as the best among all the gubernatorial candidates.

He said Ibe, the owner and chancellor of Gregory University in Uturu, remained “the largest employer of labor in the state.

“Ibe has empowered thousands of people for a long time, unlike some of these emergency philanthropists,” he said.

Reacting to the poaching allegation, Acting PDP Spokesperson Chief Amah Abraham said it was not true that the PDP was poaching APGA candidates.

“The truth is that the people of Ukwa-la-Ngwa realized that their interests would be better served under the PDP.

“It’s not poaching. These are people who have realized their mistakes and want to go home.

“It’s called political realignments and balancing the wheels.

“We engage them constructively and they align with the winning side.

“It’s not a matter of incitement. They are committed to the PDP cause,” Abraham said.