Chairman of Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Donatus Nwankpa, says the South East geo-political zone would become an APC enclave in 2023 if the rate at which heavy weight politicians were joining the party in the zone was anything to go by.

Nwankpa, in an interview with newsmen at the State party secretariat on Azikiwe Road in Umuahia, noted that the ongoing membership registration/revalidation exercise has exposed the burning desire of people of the South East to embrace APC as political heavy weights of the zone were registering in droves.

He said that the political bigwigs from the South East who have joined the APC would soon be unveiled, adding that he was happy with the progress recorded so far in the ongoing membership drive by APC in the Zone.

“I want to thank Abians, I want to thank the South Easterners. They are cueing into the national grid. And you know we got one of the best, General Azubuike Ihejirika, who after serving as the Chief of Army Staff, is yet to be faulted; he served at all levels and if you look at him, you see a bundle of intelligence.

“And there are so many other bigwigs that have registered, we will unveil them any moment from now and I think APC, South East is coasting for victory,” he said.

Nwankpa said fifth columnists who have tried to create the impression that there was a rift amongst the party leaders in the Zone have failed in their plot and advocated for election of people of the status of statesmen into the country’s Senate to avoid turning it into a place for cracking jokes.

On the alleged rift between former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, and another Abia APC chieftain, Prince BB Apugo, Nwankpa dismissed social media reports alleging that Apugo refused to receive them and even castigated Nnamani when the ex-Senate President who was in Abia to monitor the ongoing APC membership registration and revalidation exercise, in company of other party bigwigs, visited Apugo in his Ibeku country home.

Nwankpa said he led the delegation, adding that Apugo not only received them but also entertained them lavishly and took photographs with them.

“The visit in question was led by me. The visit was one of the most cordial ever witnessed within the political fold. Chief BB Apugo waited outside to receive us. So, where did the story that Prince BB Apugo castigated the former Senate President come from? So those things never arose. It is figment of some persons’ imagination,” Nwankpa said.

“Even Prince BB Apugo will be most embarrassed and I do not want to drag our father who is cultured; he is the Prince and the custodian of Ibeku culture. He cannot go outside to start fighting a man,” the Abia APC Chairman said.

Nwankpa said it was also untrue that Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Chief (Mrs) Nkeiru Onyejeocha, slapped Nnamani, when the team visited her.

According to him, Onyejeocha was cultured, a responsible woman and God-fearing and could not indulge in such a despicable act.

He appealed to social media users not to allow themselves to be used by politicians, “especially those who want to play pedestrian and gutter politicking.”

Commenting on the statement credited to Senator Smart Adeyemi as referring to Abia State Governor as a “drunkard,” Nwankpa advocated that the Senate should be “a ground for mature persons who have even transcended almost beyond political level to the level of statesmen.”

“These are people who should occupy our Senate, not when you bring in some people they keep clowning, jesting and playing junketing politicking, engaging in children variety at that apex chamber,” he stressed.

He described Adeyemi’s outburst as a joke taken too far and advised the Senators to “live up to their responsibility of making national legislation with the seriousness and utmost responsibility, respect and maturity it requires.”

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