Minister of State for Labour Denies Anti-Party Allegations Amid Abia APC Dispute

Onyejeocha Rejects Claims of Supporting Labour Party Governor

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, has strongly denied allegations of anti-party activities leveled against her by Abia State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, William Nwanguma.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Onyejeocha dismissed the claims as misleading, arguing that her comments at a recent road project flag-off event in Umunneochi Local Government Area were misinterpreted.

The controversy arose after Nwanguma filed a petition on February 3, 2025, accusing the minister of publicly endorsing Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, for a second term, despite Otti being a member of the Labour Party (LP).

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Allegations of Endorsing a Rival Party Governor

According to Naija News, Nwanguma alleged that during a road commissioning event on February 28, 2025, Onyejeocha urged traditional rulers and residents of Umunneochi to support Otti’s re-election bid.

“The Governor of Abia State is not a member of the APC. The call for his re-election by a serving Federal Minister, who attained her position under the APC, constitutes a clear act of anti-party activity,” Nwanguma wrote in his petition to APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.

He further claimed that Onyejeocha’s remarks had embarrassed APC members in Abia and across Nigeria, calling on the party leadership to investigate the incident and impose sanctions if necessary.

APC Chieftain Calls for Disciplinary Action

Nwanguma insisted that the Abia APC is gaining strength, with many opposition members defecting to join efforts to unseat Governor Otti in the next election.

“Many Labour Party members are already displeased with Otti’s governance. It is, therefore, sad, disheartening, and reckless for a minister under our party’s platform to express support for his re-election,” he added.

He urged APC National Chairman Ganduje to probe Onyejeocha’s alleged support for the Labour Party governor and take appropriate disciplinary measures if found guilty.

Abia APC Chairman Distances Party from Petition

In a surprising twist, the Abia APC Chairman, Kingsley Ononogbu, distanced the state’s party leadership from the petition, stating that they were not aware of Nwanguma’s complaint.

Ononogbu also criticized the growing trend of individual party members taking unilateral actions without consulting party leadership, raising concerns about internal party coordination.

Minister’s Defense and Political Implications

While Onyejeocha maintains that her comments were taken out of context, the allegations have sparked debate within the Abia APC, highlighting tensions over political alignments in the state.

As the party leadership deliberates on the issue, political analysts suggest that the outcome could have implications for party unity and strategy ahead of the next Abia gubernatorial election.