The Director of Media and Publicity of the Eric Opah Campaign Organisation, Chief Eric Ikwuagwu, has maintained that Chief Eric Opah emerged as the duly elected governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State after securing 125,977 votes in the party’s primary election.
Ikwuagwu made the assertion on Tuesday, 23rd, June, 2026 during an audience participation programme, Open Parliament, on Family Love FM 99.9, Umuahia, anchored by Mr. C.
Speaking on the outcome of the primary election, Ikwuagwu said the result reflected the overwhelming support Chief Opah enjoys among APC members across the state. He urged those still hoping to overturn the outcome of the primary to abandon such expectation as it is dead on arrival and instead support the party’s flag bearer in the collective effort to reposition Abia State and address what he described as financial mismanagement in governance.
He also criticised arguments suggesting that the party’s governorship ticket should be handed to another aspirant who clearly lost the primary election just on the basis that he has stayed longer in the party. According to Ikwuagwu, victory in a democratic contest is determined by the votes cast by party members and not by the length of time an individual has spent in the party.
Ikwuagwu stated that Chief Opah has remained an active and financially committed member of the APC since 2023. He noted that Opah’s extensive consultations and visits to stakeholders and party members across the state’s 17 local government areas contributed to his victory at the polls.
He further explained that all aspirants who participated in the governorship primary were screened by a committee constituted by the APC National Working Committee, adding that possession of a valid party membership card formed part of the eligibility requirements for participation in the election.
The Abia APC Deputy Publicity Secretary questioned claims that Chief Ikoh won the primary, when obviously he did not embark on widespread consultations across the local government areas before the election as Opah did. He also pointed to Ikoh’s defeat in his own Ikwuano Local Government Area as evidence of the level of support enjoyed by Chief Opah.
On the petition reportedly submitted against the outcome of the primary election, Ikwuagwu described it as lacking merit. He argued that if the complaints had substance, Abia State would have been among the states where the APC repeated primary elections.
Addressing concerns about how a relatively newer member of the party secured victory, he attributed the outcome to the leadership style of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, whom he credited with ensuring a level playing field for all aspirants. He said the process allowed party members to freely determine their preferred candidate, unlike what he described as practices in the past where a few individuals allegedly influenced outcomes behind closed doors.
Ikwuagwu expressed confidence that Chief Opah remains the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election, noting that June 26 is the deadline for the submission of candidates’ names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the provisions of the Electoral Act. He added that the APC is a well-structured party that has completed the necessary processes regarding its candidates.
He concluded by advising those working indirectly for the Labour Party to destabilise the APC in Abia State to reconsider their stance. He stressed the need for a united APC in Abia to reclaim Government House and address the challenges facing workers, commercial transport operators, rising house rents, insecurity, and the multidimensional poverty prevalent across the state. He added that only an APC led government can restore transparency, accountability, and prudent management of Abia’s public funds.
