Ahead of the 2019 general
elections, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has stated that its governorship
ticket is
open to all members of the Party in the State.
open to all members of the Party in the State.
The ex-Governor Senator Chimaroke
Nnamani from Enugu East Senatorial zone handed over to Barr. Sullivan Chime
from Enugu West, who also completed a two tenure of eight years. Chime later
handed over to the incumbent Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi from Enugu
North Senatorial Zone.
Governor Ugwuanyi is still
serving his current tenure, fueling speculations that the APC would present a
guber candidate from the same zone.
However, speaking to journalists
on Wednesday, Enugu APC chairman, Ben Nwoye said the party’s ticket was open to
interested aspirants from all parts of the State.
Nwoye, who spoke on a wide range
of issues, said the party presented Barr. Okey Ezea from Enugu North as its
candidate during the 2015 election as he was the only aspirant.
“In 2015, Barr. Okey Ezea was not
our candidate because of zoning; the fact is that he was the only person that
had the guts and the money to challenge the PDP in that election.
“So, for the 2019, when the time
comes, any interested guber aspirant, whether from Enugu North, Enugu West, or
Enugu East, is free to pick the form, and if the person is qualified and goes
ahead to win the primary, we shall present same as our candidate.
“I must tell you, we are very
calculative and focused in our movement towards 2019. APC has put in place the
needed structures to send PDP parking in Enugu State,” he boasted.
The Party chairman equally
accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State of violating extant
provisions of the Electoral Laws ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Speaking against campaign posters
of the governor, which had appeared in some locations, Nwoye, said “I am not
only saying that it is absolutely wrong and illegal, I am saying that the PDP
in the state is heating up the polity, and violating the electoral act.”
The PDP had earlier in a
statement disowned the campaign posters.
The party had in a statement
signed by its State Chairman, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, said it was more
pre-occupied in mobilizing the people for voters’ registration and not
politicking.
According to Nnamani, “The Party
appreciates the goodwill and solidarity of the group and other related
associations, but wishes to state that what is ultimate in its agenda at the
moment is total mobilization of eligible voters in the state to register with
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the forthcoming
general elections.
“The Party, therefore, appeals to
the groups to channel their efforts towards the Voters’ Registration exercise,
which would ensure the actualization of our ultimate goal in 2019.”
However, Nwoye said the posters
were in violation of the electoral law, calling on the relevant authorities to
rise up to their responsibilities.
Also commenting on the former
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s statement, which passed a non-performance verdict
on President Muhammadu Buhari, Nwoye said the ex-President lacked the moral
grounds to speak in such manner.
He said, “Obasanjo is an elder
statesman but most times, he breaches rules of decorum as a former President.
He carries his weight around.
“This is a man that attempted to
perpetuate himself in office; he became so intoxicated with power. Nigerians
gave him two tenure after which he did ethical and unethical things, including
enticing and bribing people to get a third tenure in office.
“It is the mess Obasanjo planted
that has continued. Issues of the 2nd Niger Bridge, power, Enugu-Onitsha
Expressway, Enugu-Port-Harcourt Expressway, these were not just things caused
by former President Goodluck Jonathan. Obasanjo started the mess.”
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