By CHARLES IWUOHA

Amid rumours of defection to the Labour Party, stakeholders of Ukwa Federal Constituency in Abia State, say they remain in the All Progressives Congress (APC) with their lawmaker, Hon. Chris Nkwonta.

The emergence of Alex Otti as governor has seen some politicians dump their parties for the Labour Party.

This may have influenced recent rumours that Nkwonta was also on his way to the ruling party in the state.

The lawmaker dismissed the claims days ago.

His constituents have now also dismissed the purported deflection plan, describing it as handiwork of mischief makers.

In a statement on Thursday, signed by Chief Macaulay Ekeke and Barr. Obiche Nwaubani, the Chairman and the Secretary respectively, of Ukwa Unity Forum, UUF, they condemned in strong terms purveyors of the rumour.

They linked it to desperate politicians lacking morals and cannot publicly address Ukwa people with any achievements during their past years in office where they represented Ukwa people.

The Forum said ahead of the 2027 general election, all manner of negative media baggage were being planted by failed politicians.

They claimed the content was hatched at the residence of a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ukwa East Local Government Area where the sum of N3m was mobilized.

"The conspirators from Ukwa land have gathered like the vultures and scavengers trying to lure their unsuspected preys to the slaughter.

"We want to warn them that they have failed. The media propaganda is dead on arrival. Hon. Nkwonta remains in the APC and we remain with him.

"They are only be blinded and will end up in futility and regrets. We know the antecedents of those propping them and they can only work in darkness because they have failed Ukwa people and currently seeking for relevance but it is late," the Forum said.

"We had representatives at both the Red and the Green Chambers who spent eight, sixteen and twenty years but there is no legacy on ground today to justify their representation," the constituents further stated.