*  Ogah                                                       * Ikpeazu 
                          


Sen. Emma Nwaka, the immediate-past chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abia State has expressed worry over the power tussle between Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu.

 Nwaka, in a statement made available to journalist in Umuahia  Monday, that he was praying for the quick resolution of the crisis.

 "I pray fervently for early resolution of the challenges confronting Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu's administration, a government we laboured so hard to install.

 "This matter should be resolved expeditiously so that the government can deliver on its campaign promises," he said.

 He argued that the different suits challenging Ikpeazu's qualification to contest the 2015 governorship election posed serious distraction to him.

 "Our governor needs peace of mind to navigate the ship of state at a time like this.

 "We must be mindful of the fact that this matter is taking a huge toll on the peace and stability of our state and must not be allowed to linger any further," Nwaka said.

 He called for the intervention of "all men and women of goodwill" in the state and beyond to find quick resolution to the matter, which was still pending in court.

 According to him, the problem is hurting the economy of our state badly and by extension the well-being of its people.

 "I do not know of any political problem that cannot be resolved at the negotiation table, even moreso as this is mainly an intra-party matter.

 "I know that court victory doesn't always bring peace with it," Nwaka said.

 He also dispelled the alleged factionalisation of PDP in the state, saying that "the party remains one and indivisible entity under the leadership of Chief Johnson Onuigbo".

 He implored the party members, who still nursed grievances against the party congresses that produced Onuigbo to seek redress through the party's internal crisis-resolution mechanism.

 He urged Onuigbo "not to close his doors permanently against such people if they repent.

 "As we say, a party is like a church; there should be free entry and free exit," he said.

 Nwaka, who was PDP chairman for more than five years, urged concerted efforts to ensure that the party did not disintegrate.

 He further spoke on the crisis rocking the leadership of the party at the national level.

 He said that although the party was facing challenges at the centre, "it is not factionalised", noting that efforts being made to resolve the differences were yielding the desired fruits.