APGA, Abaribe trade words over defection, Senate seat legitimacy

The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe have engaged in a war of words over the circumstances surrounding his exit from the party and his continued stay in the Senate.

At a press conference in Umuahia, APGA leaders insisted that Abaribe was not expelled but placed on suspension over alleged anti-party activities. They accused the lawmaker of misleading the Senate and the public with claims that he was sacked from the party.

The state chairman of the party, Ambassador Sunday Onukwubiri, alongside key party figures, challenged the senator to provide evidence of his alleged expulsion. They further urged the Senate leadership to declare his seat vacant if he fails to resign, arguing that he no longer has a legal basis to retain the mandate.

According to the party, Abaribe’s actions amount to a betrayal of the platform that facilitated his election, stressing that the mandate belongs to the party and the electorate, not the individual office holder.

APGA also alleged that the senator had been lobbying party officials at the ward level to obtain a sack letter to validate his claim, a move it described as unethical. The party maintained that its internal issues had been resolved following a Supreme Court ruling, dismissing any justification for his defection.

Party chieftain and former deputy governorship candidate, Obinna Ichita, said Abaribe had voluntarily resigned after failing to respond to allegations against him, insisting that due process was followed. He warned that the senator risks “national embarrassment” if he refuses to vacate his seat.

Reinforcing the party’s stance, APGA’s Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Nwokoro, said the law is clear on the matter, maintaining that Abaribe forfeited his mandate by leaving the party.

However, the senator dismissed the claims, arguing that his indefinite suspension effectively excluded him from the party, leaving him with no option but to seek another political platform.

“When you place someone on indefinite suspension for over six months, it simply means the person no longer belongs to the party,” Abaribe said.

He described allegations that he was attempting to procure a sack letter as “scandalous and insulting,” insisting that such actions are beneath him.

The lawmaker also rejected claims that APGA was responsible for his electoral success, attributing his victory to his personal popularity among constituents. He further cited precedents of lawmakers defecting without losing their seats, questioning why his case should be treated differently.

The dispute underscores growing tensions over party loyalty and legislative mandates, with both sides holding firmly to their positions as the political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections continues to evolve.