The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has concluded plans to dump its
gubernatorial candidate for the November 16 2013 governorship election,
chief Willie Obiano over major controversies surrounding his emergence and
double registration in the voter registration exercise.
Though the party’s hierarchy has continued to deny the controversial
double registration which it claims was rather a mere transfer of Obiano’s
voter’s card from Lagos to Anambra State, it was gathered that the
reported double registration of Obiano in Lagos where he had stayed as his
operation base and Anambra State, if found to be true will attract either
fine or a term of imprisonment.
Anambra State Voter’s Card VIN number 90f5B15E7D378 was said to have
been issued to Obiano on September 3,2013.
According to sources, the shoddy manner in which his double registration
was mishandled has made the party to look for an alternative candidate to
carry the party’s flag. Though Ekwunife’s name dominated the discussion,
it was gathered that an option was made to have Dr. Chike Obidigbo to fly
the party’s flag in the election.
But Obidigbo’s name was eventually dropped, on account of the fact that
the main stream national leadership of the party led by chief Victor Umeh
did not endorse the primary that produced him.
It was at this juncture that Ekwunife’s name was thrown up as a possible
gubernatorial candidate f the party in the November 16, 2013 election.
An impeccable source disclosed that Obiano is aware of the move to drop
him , hence an emergency meeting of his Campaign Organization held at
Parktonia Hotel, Awka, Tuesday, where the group begged that Obiano be
considered as the consensus candidate from the Anambra North Senatorial
zone, which is yet to produce a governor since 1991 the state was created.
Already, intrigues appear to characterize the emergence of the governor of
the State with a defeated gubernatorial aspirant in the All
Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) primary, Hon, Uche Ekwunife warming up
and waiting for the disqualification of the party’s flag bearer, chief
Willie Obiano.
Ekwunife, Vice Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on
Environment scored 158 votes to place second in the APGA August 26
gubernatorial primary won by late entrant, chief Umeano who emerged as the
flag bearer through courtesy of the party’s machinery.
Following the seeming foisting of Obiano, Ekwunife reportedly fumed at
what her camp regarded as an undemocratic process through which the APGA
candidate was thrown up, a position that contrasts with her readiness to
support any competitor in all elections she contested and lost.
Since the primary Ekwunife who went under after the emergence of Obiano,
simply attends necessary APGA functions hatching her next game plan.