The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia South Senatorial Zone has formally merged its structures with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), marking a significant realignment in Abia politics ahead of the 2025 elections. The decision was announced in Aba by Chief Charles Nwanyanwu, APGA’s zonal chairman, during a meeting with ADC State Chairman, Don Norman Obinna.
Nwanyanwu explained that the move was necessary following what he described as the “death” of APGA in Abia, triggered by prolonged leadership crises that weakened the party. He recalled that in 2015, APGA won not less than 14 seats in the State House of Assembly and maintained some representation in 2019, but by 2025, the party had lost all its seats. According to him, the collapse of APGA’s structure in Abia South was unanimously supported by over 5,000 members of the party in the zone.
He also disclosed that plans were underway for APGA in Abia North and Abia Central to follow suit and collapse their structures into ADC. “There’s no more APGA in Abia South. This is the decision of all APGA members in the zone. ADC is the party of choice,” he said. When asked about Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who currently represents Abia South on APGA’s platform, Nwanyanwu dismissed his influence within the party. He insisted that Abaribe had no commanding voice over members in the zone and had failed to make meaningful contributions to APGA’s growth.
In his remarks, ADC State Chairman Don Norman Obinna welcomed the defectors, stressing that the ADC remained open to all politicians who desired a credible platform for good governance. He described APGA as a party in decline, noting that its offices and branded structures had virtually disappeared in Abia. Obinna added that the ADC had already registered over 300,000 members in the state, well above the 200,000 votes typically needed to win the governorship.
Obinna declared that ADC was now the party to beat in Abia. He warned that any politician who failed to align with the ADC would lose in the 2025 elections, including Governor Alex Otti and other current office holders. According to him, the growing defections into ADC reflected public confidence in the party’s vision of hope and good governance.
This development comes just weeks after APGA leadership at the national level called on Governor Otti to return to its fold, dismissing other platforms, including ADC, as unstable. However, Otti publicly reaffirmed his loyalty to the Labour Party and distanced himself from ADC. With APGA’s structures in Abia South now formally integrated into ADC, the political landscape in Abia is set for a reshaping as the state heads toward the next general election.
