APGA tackles Abaribe, Ikwechegh over defections to ADC, LP

The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has called on two federal lawmakers, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, to relinquish their seats in the National Assembly of Nigeria after defecting to other political parties.

The party said the lawmakers, who were elected on APGA’s platform, should vacate their positions following their moves to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Labour Party Nigeria (LP) respectively.

Speaking at a news briefing in Aba, the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Nwokoro, said their departure did not catch the party unawares.

“The actions of these men did not come to us as a surprise. Rather, it is a prayer well answered for the speedy recovery and liberation of APGA,” he said.

Nwokoro maintained that since the lawmakers secured their mandates under APGA, they should return them to the party after switching allegiance.

“The seats they are occupying at the National Assembly belong to APGA. It is only honourable that they vacate them immediately,” he said.

While acknowledging that defections are common in Nigeria’s political environment, APGA insisted the exits would not weaken its structure in Abia.

The party further accused the lawmakers of contributing little to its growth in the state and described their actions as “sabotage”.

Nwokoro said the party had learnt “bitter lessons” from the episode and would prevent political opportunists from taking advantage of its platform in the future.

He assured members that APGA was already repositioning for the 2027 general elections under the leadership of state chairman Sunday Onukwubiri.

“APGA has come to stay in Abia State. No amount of political shenanigans will distract us as we march towards 2027,” he said.