The All Progressives Congress in Umuahia North successfully conducted its ward congresses across the state on Wednesday, in a peaceful and well-coordinated exercise.
Speaking during the occasion, the Chairman of the APC Ward and Local Government Congress Committee, Emmanuel Goar, assured that the committee would strictly adhere to the harmonisation directive and would conduct transparent and credible congresses that reflect the will of party stakeholders.
The congresses were monitored by Goar, who led a delegation from the party’s National Working Committee.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission were also present across the wards to observe the process.
Addressing party members after monitoring the exercise, Goar expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct and organisation of the congresses.
According to him, the level of participation and enthusiasm displayed by members was a strong indication of the party’s growing strength in the state.
“With what I have seen on the ground, I have no doubt that Abia State is APC. With the determination of the members I have seen here today, APC in Abia State will record a massive victory for President Tinubu in 2027,” he stated.
Also speaking, Stanley Ohajuruka commended party faithful for the impressive turnout across the wards. He thanked the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu and all stakeholders in the state for their commitment and efforts in ensuring a smooth and credible congress.
He congratulated those who emerged successful in their respective wards and reminded them of the responsibility placed upon them as grassroots leaders.
According to him, ward executives are critical to the party’s success and must work diligently to secure victory for President Tinubu and all APC candidates at the ward level in the 2027 elections.
The ward congress marks a significant step in the party’s internal democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, the congress process is scheduled to continue on Thursday, February 26, 2026, with the Local Government Congresses being held across Abia State.
Earlier, before the ward congresses, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, reiterated that the APC adopted harmonisation for its ward and local government congresses to strengthen unity and cohesion within the party.
Kalu, who addressed party faithful that Wednesday at the Renewed Hope Partners office in Umuahia, said the decision followed agreements reached by the party’s leadership under President Bola Tinubu, whom he described as a committed democrat and father of the party.
According to him, harmonisation ensures inclusiveness by giving all stakeholders a sense of belonging in selecting leaders from the ward to the state level, stressing that no individual owns the party. He added, “APC belongs to every member; nobody is bigger than the party. The party is sovereign.
“But in the spirit of continuing the cohesion that exists in our party at the moment, there is no need to hold any other type of congress than the one which strengthens our unity — a congress of harmonisation.
“Harmonisation is where stakeholders are given a sense of belonging in deciding who will lead from their ward to their local government, as well as the state, where everybody is given a sense of importance and relevance, making it clear that no one person owns the party.
“Not Benjamin Kalu, not anybody. That is the vision of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When I met with him, he said, ‘I can’t even say my party; I like saying our party”, the deputy speaker pointed out.
He disclosed that as a member of the party’s NEC and caucus, it was agreed that there would be no parallel processes or multiple forms that could breed conflict, adding that when deviations occurred, the President insisted that the decisions of the NEC and caucus must stand, leading to swift intervention by the National Chairman and the National Working Committee.
Kalu explained that the resolution of the earlier impasse paved the way for his return to Abia to oversee the implementation of the agreed harmonised congresses, aimed at returning ownership of the party to grassroots members.
