UMUAHIA — With party primary elections now concluded ahead of the 2027 general polls, Nigeria’s political landscape is increasingly marked by internal strife, court threats and defections. But in Abia State, the experience of the two leading parties has been starkly different, according to findings by _The Abia Patriots_ [TAP].
The group, in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Mazi Adindu Madumere, said the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia is still battling the fallout of its primaries, while the Labour Party, LP, concluded its own exercise without rancour across all elective seats.
TAP noted that the dust from the Abia APC governorship primary has yet to settle. Chief Eric Opah was declared winner with 126,977 votes, ahead of former Minister of State for Science and Technology, Chief Henry Ikoh, who polled 5,905 votes.
However, Ikoh has rejected the result, describing it as a “sham” and petitioning the APC Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee. He insists he was adopted as consensus candidate by 13 of 18 members of the State Working Committee. A founding APC member, Hon. Mezie Chiekwe Esiaga, has also warned the party risks “a disastrous outing” in 2027 if the outcome is not reversed.
The crisis extends to Abia South Senatorial District. Hon. Uchenna Erondu Jnr won the primary with 16,640 votes, defeating Prince Paul Ikonne who scored 4,099 votes. Despite the margin, the APC National Working Committee later substituted Ikonne for Erondu on the list sent to INEC. The Abia APC has since warned that “any substitution will cost the party heavily” and released a separate list retaining Erondu.
The Labour Party has called on the APC to ensure its “internal political disagreements do not degenerate into actions capable of threatening the peace and security currently being enjoyed by Abians”.
In contrast, TAP said the Abia Labour Party concluded its 2027 primaries for governorship, 3 Senatorial seats, 8 House of Representatives seats and all 24 House of Assembly constituencies without litigation or defections.
Governor Alex Otti emerged unopposed as the LP governorship candidate with 368,230 votes in a direct primary held across 184 wards. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe picked the ticket for Abia South, Senator Darlington Nwokocha for Abia Central, and Chief David Ogba Onuoha for Abia North.
The LP National Secretary, Hon. Acho Obioma, commended party members for conducting a “peaceful, transparent exercise across the state’s wards and devoid of violence”. Governor Otti also described the process as “peaceful and free of violence” and thanked members for preserving unity during the party’s period of crisis.
According to TAP, the calm in the LP was driven by deliberate leadership. As National Leader of the party, Governor Otti is said to have overcome legal distractions to unite factions, raise credible candidates and maintain governance in Abia. At the party’s NEC, he told members: “Elections within the party should never create permanent divisions. The contest is over; the assignment has just begun”.
TAP argued that the political dividend of that unity is clear: “Where APC is bleeding members to courts and counter-lists, Labour Party is presenting a united front from Umuahia to Ukwa.”
The group said the Abia LP primaries offer a model other parties should adopt. “We therefore recommend that political leaders across Nigeria come to Abia to learn from the template adopted by Governor Otti: leadership that prioritizes party discipline over imposition, consensus over monetization, and governance over grandstanding,” Madumere stated.
TAP also appealed to Abia residents to sustain support for the governor. “The brand he represents, one anchored on transparency, development, and unity, is what Abia must maximize to consolidate gains and secure a stronger mandate in 2027,” the statement added.
“When parties choose peace over pandemonium, the people are the ultimate beneficiaries. Abia Labour Party has shown it is possible,” Madumere concluded.
