Anambra: Our Primaries Never Held, No Candidate Yet —APC Aspirants Insist

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

In view of the the purported result flying on social media that the All Progressives Congress in Anambra State has held its primary election and selected Senator Andy Uba to be the party's candidate for the November 6 governorship election in the state, some of the APC guber aspirants in the state have countered and outrightly condemned the report and the result as fake and fraudulent, insisting that the party has not held its primary election, nor has any candidate emerged to represent the party in the forthcoming governorship election.

Eleven in number out of fourteen cleared aspirants of the party, this group of aspirants registered their stance while hosting newsmen to a press conference on Sunday in Awka, the state capital.

It would be recalled that APC had scheduled her primary election to hold on Saturday, June 26, which did not eventually hold due to reasons best known to the authority. 

Howbeit, reports and results started 'flying around' on Sunday, alleging that the Chairman of the Anambra State Primary Election Committee and Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, had on  announced Senator Andy Ubah as the winner of the election, saying that he polled 230, 201 votes out of the total votes of 348,490, to defeat his closest rival, Engr. Johnbosco Onunwoku who polled 28, 746, followed by other 12 aspirants of the party.

It is in reaction to this, however, that these eleven aspirants rejected the report and the result, and further insisted that the party's primary election was never held as scheduled, and that they would therefore, never accept the said primary election result reportedly released by the State Primary Election Committee 

They stressed that no election held in any part of the state, insisting that they would not accept results written in the corners of bedroom and published on Facebook

Eleven governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra state on Sunday rejected what they described as purported result of primary election reportedly released by the State Primary Election Committee.

The aspirants stressed that no election held in any part of the state, insisting that they would not accept results written in the corners of bedroom and published on Facebook.

Speaking on behalf of the other aspirants, Chief George Moghalu, said it was even disappointing for a governor to spearhead an election capable of endangering party in the state.

He said, “What necesited this press conference is something we consider embarrassing, disappointing and scandalous.

“Election will not be held and a committee headed by a sitting governor will announce a fake result they wrote in the corners of their bedrooms and expect us to accept it.

“We’re here to reaffirm the fact that election did not take place in Anambra as planned. All of us have been on the road reaching out to our supporters to vote for us. Primaries are not conducted in the bedroom but in the field.

“They started distribution of materials after 3pm, and in some cases got to their designated places around 6pm. Someone is bold enough to announce a result on Facebook. it’s so sad and hurting because what they’re trying to do is to endanger our party in the state; and that we can’t accept.”

While insisting on free, fair, credible primary election that would produce acceptable and credible candidate, Moghalu assured the agrieved aspirants would explore necessary legitimate measures to get justice.

“We’re following the due process. There are many options, including channeling our rejection of the purported results through the proper avenues. There certainly will be appeal panel and we’ll channel our grievances there to seek justice as long as it’s legitimate,” he added.

Ward Chairmen across the three Senatorial Districts of the state also stated their 'views on the matter', saying that elections were not held in their wards, and adding that they were surprised to see results on WhatsApp platforms.

On his own part, Chief Anthony Atuenyi from Nnewi North who spoke on behalf of others said, “We’re embarrassed and disappointed that a sitting governor could go against his oath to declare results of elections that did not hold. It’s very unfortunate."