APC factions hold parallel rallies in Ebonyi

A planned rally by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ebony state Monday raised tension in Abakaliki, the state capital as two factions of the party held parallel rallies to celebrate President Buhari’s return to the country after his medical trip in London.
The rally was also expected to be used to protest against the state government’s proposed loan of $150million from the African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank for construction of over 198km ring road in the state.
But surprisingly one of the factions of the party instead said it was in support of the $150million loan request from the state government for the construction of the 198km ring road.
The parallel rallies and protests affected human and vehicular movements in Abakaliki the state capital where they were held.
But for security agencies who were on hand to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order the two factions would have physical clashed.
Two factions, one loyal to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya and governorship candidate of the party in 2015 general election, Senator Julius Ucha have been battling for supremacy and control of the party for years.
Ucha’s faction of the party has Ben Nwachukwu as its Chairman while Onu’s faction recognises Nwobasi’s Vice, Eze Nwachukwu as Chairman.
Ucha’s faction had distanced itself from the rally against the proposed $150million loan by the state government and called on its members to disregard the rally.
Onu’s faction’s rally was against the proposed $150million loan by the state government which was also attended by former Governor of the state, Chief Martin Elechi.
The state Chairman of the APC Ben Nwaobasi called on members of the party in the state to disregard the anti-$150 million loan rally.
According to Nwaobasi those opposing the loan are indirectly opposing President Buhari since the loan was approved by the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council .
“We are against the protest. We have told our members to disregard Nwachukwu and his group. They are not speaking for APC. What we want is development and that is why the President is not resting on his oars to ensure that he delivers on his promises.
“Anybody who is attacking the President for aiding development in Ebonyi state is anti-people. We must not strangulate the progress and development of our state because we are in opposition in the state. The President has emphasized that he belongs to everybody and belongs to nobody”.
“The loan has been approved by the national assembly that has the largest numbers of APC members. The same loan was deliberated in the federal executive council and approved. Then, to whose interest is Nwachukwu serving? We must unite for the development of our state and country. APC in Ebonyi state is solidly behind President Muhammadu Buhari and we want him to continue to support our state in any measure for the development of the state”, Nwobasi said.
He explained that APC is in support of any programme that would lead to the development of the state, stressing that the ring road if constructed would boost the economic fortunes of the state and alleviate the sufferings of the people.
He thanked God for the return of the President from his medical trip from London and urged Nigerians to continue to pray for peace and unity of the country.
Meanwhile, Governor David Umahi has warned the warring factions against further breakdown of law and order in the state through their rallies and counter rallies.
The governor through his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor noted that in as much as the state government is not oblivious of the fact that opposition is a veritable ingredient of democracy, all political actors in the APC should imbibe the rule of the game by conducting themselves in a manner that will not pose security threats to the state.
“The governor condemns seriously the activities of the two factions of APC and advice them to put their house in order as the state government will not fold its hands to allow few political hawks drag the state back”.