Fresh controversy has erupted within the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the governorship primary election that produced Dr. Eric Opah as the party’s governorship candidate, with two separate groups openly rejecting the outcome and describing the process as unacceptable.
The Abia Youth Advocacy Network and a coalition of grassroots political groups under the banners of Ozurumba Movement and Renewed Hope Tinubu Abia have separately issued strong statements condemning the outcome of the exercise.
In its reaction, the Abia Youth Advocacy Network described the emergence of Eric Opah as a betrayal of the political aspirations of young people in the state, insisting that the party failed to produce a candidate that reflects grassroots engagement, visibility, and youth-inclusive leadership.
According to the group, the outcome sends the wrong signal to young people who desire credible participation in politics.
“This is not just symbolic rejection. This is a collective demand for fairness. Young people had hoped for a candidate that represents innovation, accessibility, and inclusive governance. Instead, a candidate many consider politically unknown has emerged,” the group stated.
The youth body further called on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to intervene and review the process, questioning the acceptability of the candidate among party faithful.
Similarly, the Ozurumba Movement and Renewed Hope Tinubu Abia, which described themselves as longstanding grassroots support structures of the APC across the 17 local government areas of Abia State, also rejected the outcome.
The groups claimed to represent over 376,000 registered voters, insisting that any attempt to impose a governorship candidate without grassroots acceptance would be resisted.
In their joint statement, they declared that Dr. Eric Opah lacks political recognition among the grassroots base of the party in Abia.
“We categorically state that we do not support Eric Opah as the APC candidate in Abia. We do not know Eric Opah in APC, and the entire Abia people do not recognize him,” the statement read.
The coalition further accused unnamed political actors of attempting to repeat what they described as previous political mistakes, warning that failure by the APC national leadership to address the grievances may affect support for the party in the state.
The development underscores the growing internal tensions within the Abia APC following the conclusion of the governorship primary, as aggrieved stakeholders continue to demand transparency, fairness, and broader consultation in the party’s decision-making process.
