Dame Ngozi Orji and other leaders of the party at the launching of the new cards

The Ikwuano LG, Abia State chapter of the African Democratic Congress, ADC has raised alarm that the newly launched Membership Mobilisation Registration and Revalidation,  MMRR membership card and register of the party may have been compromised as the cards meant for the LG has been hijacked by non-party agents.

"We have notified our National Secretariat that a certain individual boasting of his financial muscle has hijacked Ikwuano LG ADC membership cards. This individual is neither known to the ADC in his ward, LG or even at the State level. His personal relationship with the National Chairman, Senator David Mark or with the State leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe is irrelevant in this respect. All we want is the membership cards for Ikwuano LG. Let him keep his money and release our cards and register....it is public property, no law confers on his to have sole custody of the cards and register", Chief Ugochukwu Ogbonna-Ohale, Ikwuano LG ADC chairman said in a statement.

Ogbonna-Ohale lamented that barely 24 hours after the launching of the new cards by the Membership Mobilisation Registration and Revalidation, MMRR committee of the party in Umuahia, Abia State capital, the Ikwuano LG chapter could not access the cards and register meant for the LG as a certain top politician from the LG has given orders to the MMRR Abia Committee that the cards and register should not be released to anybody 

"It is a sad development that the whole aim of the exercise is already defeated before it takes off",  Ogbonna-Ohale laments

"How can membership cards for the ADC be hijacked by an individual not known to the party. Even if he is a friend of the National Chairman, Senator David Mark or a friend of the Abia State Leader of the party, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, this individual is not known to Ikwuano ADC. After we got information that he has hijacked the cards and register we traced him to his ward, he is equally unknown to them", Ogbonna-Ohale observed

The Ikwuano LG party leader however refused to divulge the name of the individual explaining that the National Secretariat has been duly informed and are investigating the development 

He however explained that the individual who is a national player from the LG has only indicated interest to the National officers of the party, but he has never identified with us at the grassroots.

"Information available to us reveals that the individual has been making financial contribution to the Coalition group which has fused into the ADC. It is a good thing he is making financial contribution to the party, but that does not make party members chattel that can be purchased.

"Since 2023, the Ikwuano ADC has been in place without his money or support. What is his interest in the party now? He probably needs the platform to project his personal ambition, but he cannot come and intimidate us with money. We are not for rent or hire. We are giving him 24 hours to release our membership cards and register", Ogbonna-Ohale declared.

The MMRR Abia State committee flagged off its activities at Umuahia on Saturday Feb 28 where it's Abia chairperson, Dame Ngozi Onuoha Orji emphasised that ADC, as an inclusive and people-oriented party, does not discriminate, as evidenced by the launch of the registration process. "The MMRR aims to provide people with a political home and embodies the spirit of change. A house divided cannot achieve great heights. ADC in Abia State must abandon factional mentalities, which is why the registration process has commenced. It is ineffective if support is merely based on stakeholder preferences. ADC is a party for everyone, where each member’s rights are protected. We must build a party that serves as a reference point, not only in Nigeria but globally. As Peter Obi says, ‘a new Nigeria is possible.”