A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Bona Nlemadim, has officially resigned from the party and joined the opposition Action Peoples Party.
Nlemadim said his decision was driven by what he described as the long-standing marginalisation of Ngor Okpala in the political structure of Imo State.
In an open letter dated June 25, 2026, and addressed to APC members in Ngor Okpala, he expressed frustration over what he called repeated political neglect of the area despite years of loyalty to the party.
The politician, who had been an active member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance before moving to the APC alongside former governor Rochas Okorocha in 2014, said he remained a supporter of President Bola Tinubu and would still mobilise support for his re-election.
However, he lamented that Ngor Okpala had once again been sidelined in the party’s senatorial and House of Representatives ticket allocations, despite the efforts of aspirants from the area.
Nlemadim pointed to the failed senatorial ambition of Chijioke Kaduru as an example, arguing that the decision to return the ticket to Ezenwa Onyenwuchi was unfair and against the spirit of equity.
He also criticised the state of infrastructure in Ngor Okpala, saying the local government had seen little benefit from over a decade of APC-led governance in the state.
According to him, his decision to leave the party was based on loyalty to his people and a commitment to support any Ngor Okpala candidate who secures an elective ticket, regardless of political party affiliation.
BACKSTORY…
The resignation of Bona Nlemadim comes amid growing political tension in Imo State ahead of the 2027 elections, especially over zoning and power-sharing arrangements.
For years, political stakeholders in Ngor Okpala have complained of being sidelined in the distribution of key elective positions despite their support for the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The latest controversy was triggered by the outcome of the party’s consensus primaries, where expectations that an Ngor Okpala candidate would secure the Owerri Zone senatorial ticket were dashed.
This development has fueled fresh debates over the “Imo Charter of Equity,” a political arrangement championed by Governor Hope Uzodimma to promote fairness in power rotation across the state.
Nlemadim’s exit highlights the growing dissatisfaction within parts of the APC as political alignments continue to shift ahead of the next election cycle.
