Aggrieved Imo APGA Guber Aspirants Protest Imposition Of Araraume as Candidate

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, October 12th, 2018

Ignatius Okpara, Owerri, Nigeria

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA, over alleged manipulation of its just concluded primaries in Imo state has worsened, as some aggrieved governorship aspirants of the party from the state under the banner of the New All Progressives Grand Alliance, N-APGA, and their supporters Thursday, staged a peaceful protest, demanding the cancellation of the purported primary election that produced Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the party’s candidate in the upcoming 2019 general polls.

African Examiner reports that the protesters, had marched through major streets in Owerri, the Imo state capital, South- East Nigeria, with various banners and placards bearing different inscriptions.

They were led by the chairman of ABC transport company limited, Chief Frank Nneji, a one-time member of Hour of Representatives, Chief Uche Onyeaguocha, Sam Amadi, former Chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Chief Ike Ibe, among others.

Speaking with newsmen during the protest Chief Uche Onyeaguocha condemned in its entirety the declaration of Araraume as the Imo state governorship candidate of APGA.

The former lawmaker, who defected to APGA from the ruling All progressive Congress APC, claimed that there was no primaries, insisting that the purported imposition of Araraume on APGA members in the state was unacceptable.

He said, “Gentlemen of the press, as you know, the APGA governorship primaries slated on Oct 5th, 2018 did not hold. There was no accreditation, or any other activity related to the conduct of that primary election in Imo state.

According to him, “Any claim by any one that primaries was held in imo state for the election of the governorship flag bearer for APGA is false. Again, any report that the aspirants stepped down for any candidate is a pure falsehood.

“We, the aspirants resolved that the governorship candidate of APGA in Imo state must emerge through transparent process. We also resolved that the party’s stakeholders in Imo state can no longer be slaves to political courses outside the state, who considered Imo state as market for their own economic fortunes.

Onyeaguocha added: ” we have decided to fight for the right of Imo people and APGA members in Imo, pertaining to their fortunes.

“The failure by the National leadership of the party to guarantee credible primary election for Imo state APGA is a terrible disappointment”. he stated