Abia bye-election outcome, wake-up call on Anambra guber, APC chieftains tell party

The Patriots, a group of some All Progressives Congress, APC in Anambra State has warned the party hierarchy against the imposition of an unpopular candidate on them in the November 6, 2021 governorship election, saying that doing such would cost the party its victory at the polls.

The group’s warning came on the heels of the the poor outing of the APC in last Saturday’s bye-election in Abia state.

The group made up of party chieftains that included former House of Representatives members, Chizor Obidigwe and Chukwuemeke Nwogbo, APC South east zonal youth leader, Olisa Onyeka, communications guru, Ike Chidolue, business tycoon, Chidi Ogbaji, veteran strategist, C.J Chinwuba, and Mike Mbanefo, a lawyer in a statement on Sunday observed that the rancour which trailed an alleged imposition of candidate was responsible for the party’s loss of the Aba North and South Federal Constituency seat to the rival People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

The statement jointly signed by the Co-ordinator of the group, Dozie Ikedife, and the spokesman, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene and made available to Journalists in Abuja on Sunday wondered why the APC candidate, “Mascot Uzor-Kalu, who was said to have won the party’s primaries with 47, 825 votes – as announced by the Barrister Bisi Idaomi-led electoral committee – could not garner beyond 3, 674 votes in the general election.”

The Patriots also noted thata chieftain of the party from the area, Prince Paul Ikonne, Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Land Development Authority(NALDA), had also decried the process that led to Mascot’s emergence.

“The obvious lack of transparency, which led to the disqualification of the other aspirant in the primaries, Dr. Nwokeocha Ogbonnaya Eze, was a precursor to the poor showing of the APC in the bye-election.

“Being a younger brother of the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, the feeling is rife that Mascot’s emergence as candidate was tantamount to an imposition.

“We, therefore, restate our earlier call, made on March 11, 2021, to the effect that we shall, using all lawful means at our disposal, resist any attempt to anoint any candidate.

“On the contrary, we reiterate our resolve to take over the governance of Anambra state by unveiling, at the appropriate time, a candidate that would be acceptable to majority of Anambrarians,” the APC group said.

The group disclosed that it has concluded preliminary interactions with some leading aspirants in the Anambra election, among whom were Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo, Senator Andy Uba, Engr. Johnbosco Onunkwo, Ben Etiaba, and Chief George Muoghalu, Director General, National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA.

Others included Chief Azuka Okwuosa, Colonel Geoff Onyejegbu, presidential aide, Comrade Maxwell Okoye and Paul Orajiaka, a young entrepreneur.