Works Minister David Umahi has thrown himself into a bitter fight within the Ebonyi APC, stepping between Senator Ken Eze and Christian Nwali over who gets the party's senatorial ticket.
The dispute centres on succession plans for the seat. Eze, the sitting senator, and Nwali, a party chieftain, have locked horns over the nomination, threatening to splinter the APC at a time when the party needs unity to challenge the ruling PDP in the state.
Umahi, who hails from Ebonyi and carries weight within the party hierarchy, convened meetings with both camps to broker a truce. His intervention signals the party's anxiety that the row could hand the opposition an advantage in the next election cycle.
The APC's struggles in Ebonyi are well documented. The state has remained a PDP stronghold despite the party's national gains. Internal squabbles over nominations have historically weakened the party's chances in state elections.
Neither Eze nor Nwali has publicly commented on Umahi's mediation effort, but sources within party circles say the two have agreed to a temporary ceasefire while negotiations continue behind closed doors. The party leadership has given both men until the end of the month to reach an amicable settlement or face an imposed resolution.
Party insiders warn that if the rift widens, it could lead to mass defections to other parties before the 2027 general election. Umahi's intervention is therefore seen as damage control, aimed at preserving what remains of the APC's structure in the state.
The party will hold its nomination convention early next year. How this dispute is resolved will determine whether the APC fields a united candidate or stumbles into the election season divided.
