In Thursday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for governor of Abia State, two candidates representing factions emerged.
Uche Ogah, the former Minister of State for Mines, won the APC nomination in direct primaries held at the APC Secretariat on Azikiwe Road in Umuahia.
Ikechi Emenike, on the other hand, emerged as the party’s nominee via the indirect primary held at Old Chidiebere Motor Park in Umuagu, Umuahia.
Nonetheless, the APC’s NWC will determine who flies the party’s banner during the general elections of 2023.
Ogah was one of the cabinet ministers who resigned to pursue their political ambitions. The resignation was in response to a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari requiring all political appointees seeking elective positions to resign.
The order complied with Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, which states, “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the nomination of candidates for any election.”
In 2014, Ogah lost the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination for governor to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. He eventually joined the APC.