June 27, (THEWILL) – Andy Nnamdi Uba, a former Senator, has emerged the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 6 Anambra election.
Nevertheless, 11 of the 14 governorship aspirants of the party on Saturday said the governorship primary did not hold, following calls for it’s postponement by Labour Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige.
The Chairman of the APC Primary Election Panel and Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who announced the outcome of the primary election held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Agulu Lake, early on Sunday morning, said Uba polled 230,201 votes to defeat 13 other aspirants to emerge as the party’s candidate.
The full results as announced by the election committee for each of the candidates are: Andy Uba – 230,201; Chidozie Nwankwo – 21,281; George Moghalu – 18,596; Paul Orajiaka – 4,348; Geoff Onyejeagbu – 3,414; and Azuka Okwuosa – 17,189.
Others are Nwokafor Daniel – 3,335; Ikoobasi Mokelu – 3,727; Kwebuike Ifeanyi – 1,466; Godwin Okonkwo – 5,907; Ben Etiaba – 4,244; Onuwkwo John Bosco – 28,746; Edozie Madu – 3,636 and Maxwell Okoye – 2,540
Despite controversy surrounding the primary, official said the election committee adopted the open ballot mode also known as Option A4 to conduct the primary election.
THEWILL reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had on Saturday night called for the postponement of the primary “to enable party members across the state to participate as well as give enough room to the Committee Members to resolve contentious issues raised by aspirants.”
A statement by Ngige had claimed that as of 4.25pm on Saturday, there was no sign of any primary going on at his native Alor, which has two electoral wards.
Ngige said: “My inquiries and investigation show that the story is the same all around the 326 wards of the 21 local government areas in the state.
“As a result, most party members have left for home, having waited since 8am. I discussed with your member, Distinguished Senator Ken Nnamani and I’ll advise you call the Panel Members to shift the exercise to Tuesday, June 29th to also enable you tidy up some issues raised by aspirants.”
The 11 of the 14 governorship aspirants of the party insisted on Saturday the governorship primaries did not hold.
George Moghalu, the spokesperson for the aspirants, made the position of the group known in a Press Conference in Awka the Anambra State capital.
Moghalu said in all the 326 electoral wards of the state, people came out to vote, but that none of the APC team saddled with the responsibility to conduct the primary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were seen.
Moghalu, the managing director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and one of the aspirants, said anybody who claimed that there was primary is fraudulent and did not wish APC well in the November 6 election.
Two other aspirants, Paul Orajiaka and Edozie Madu corroborated the position of Moghalu and warned that the era when one man would come up with fake figure to claim victory was over.
The aspirants, however, appealed to the party’s leadership to come up with a fresh date for the primary to ensure that the party beat the deadline set by the Electoral Act.
Other aspirants at the event were Johnbosco Onunkwo, Ben Etiaba, Amobi Nwaokafor, Chidozie Nwankwo, Geoffo Onyjegbu, Azuka Okwuosa, among others.
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