The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, demanding that he clarify his alleged affiliation with the African Democratic Congress (ADC). APGA warned that failure to respond within the specified time frame would lead to disciplinary measures.
This stern request follows an urgent caucus meeting in Umuahia, where APGA officials accused Senator Abaribe of neglecting the party after securing his Senate seat on its platform. Chukwuemeka Nwokoro, the party’s Publicity Secretary, emphasized that Abaribe had been actively promoting the ADC during meetings on August 18 and September 23, which took place at his event centre in Aba. “No one can belong to two political parties at the same time,” the statement stressed, urging Abaribe to publicly declare his political allegiance.
The controversy stemmed from a claim made by the Abia ADC secretary during a radio programme, who alleged that Abaribe is a card-carrying member of the ADC and even holds a leadership position within the party. The Senator has yet to publicly deny the claim, which has only fueled APGA’s demands for clarification.
In response, Senator Abaribe’s media aide, Uchenna Awom, dismissed APGA’s allegations as “rumours” and suggested that the party should directly engage with the Senator. “Senator Abaribe is alive, and as APGA leader in Abia, the party has all the channels to reach him. They should write to him and hear directly from him,” Awom stated. He further clarified, “As an experienced politician, Senator Abaribe knows the proper procedures for defection. If he has left APGA, he would have communicated that formally.”
Despite Awom’s rebuttal, APGA reiterated that Abaribe’s actions appear to violate the party’s constitution and warned that it would take disciplinary steps if the Senator does not issue a public denial of his alleged defection within the set deadline.
Senator Abaribe, who first entered the Senate in 2007 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has since won re-election in 2011, 2015, and 2019. He switched allegiances to APGA in 2023, securing his fourth term.
