By Thompson Agu, Abuja
An air of uncertainty is reigning in the Imo State chapter of All Progressive Congress, APC following the confusing trailing conduct of primaries for various elections positions ahead 2019 election.
Similar to what was experienced in May 2018 when the state chapter of the party was engulfed with fire over conduct of congresses to elect party officials; the just concluded primaries have left the APC in tatters thereby ushering in confusion.
It would be recalled that during the first day of primaries on Monday October 1st 2018, the exercise ended on a sour note when the committee chairman sent to Owerri from Abuja for the Governorship primaries quickly rushed back to announce Senator Hope Uzodinma winner. Other members he left behind went further to announce Uche Nwosu winner.
Before another team reported to be for the primaries of governorship, national assembly and House of Assembly could enter Owerri, six aspirants led by the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, Sir Jude Ejiogu, Peter Gbujie, and George Eche had at a press briefing in Abuja informed the NWC of APC that they stand on the first result of October 1st that produced Uzodinma as winner and won’t go for fresh primaries.
Furthermore, a purported court injunction restraining the fresh conduct was also said to have been obtained before close of work last Friday to invalidate the fresh one conducted on Saturday October 6. 2018.
As at the last count, Imo APC paraded two governorship candidates in Senator Uzodinma and Chief Uche Nwosu. The confusion has warranted a meeting of the party in Abuja.
Trumpeta was reliably informed that, the NWC of APC, apparently worried by the ugly trends in the Imo State chapter is holding a stakeholders meeting for possible harmonization of offices and rectification of candidates selected to carry the party’s banner in all elective position.
Apart from the governorship position, the issue of automatic ticket said to have been granted to some serving lawmakers of the National Assembly will also receive attention at the harmonization meeting.
Trumpeta was informed that apart from Senator Osita Izunaso, four lawmakers; Honourables Goodluck Nnanna Igbokwe and Chike Okafor are entitled to automatic tickets thereby foreclosing the chances of other aspirants of APC in the state eyeing for the position.
Sources at the national office of the party revealed that the governor’s faction and the opposition coalition have emptied into the party office seeking to know the authentic candidates their names are on the list prepared by the party national chairman for onward submission to INEC.
As at the time this newspaper went to bed, no name has been officially released by the national secretariat of the party as winners for governorship and other elective position.
Meanwhile, piqued by the controversy trailing Comrade Oshiomole’s suspension of Gulak governorship primary election, some aggrieved members of APC, Barr. Macdonald Ogu, Egejuru Tochukwu and Ejike Anosike had on October 4, 2018 in a suit no How/746/18, sued the All Progressives Congress and its Chairman, Cormrade Oshiomole joining the Chairman of the primary election committee, Alh. Ahmed Gulak, other members of the committee. In the same vein, governorship aspirants, Prince Eze Madumere, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Sir Jude Ejiogu, Commodore Peter Gbujie, Sir George Eche, Hon. Uche Nwosu, Chris Nlemoha, Dr. Hilary Eke, Hon. Dan nwafor and Chima Anozie are all respondents in the suit.
In their suit, the plaintiffs had dragged the defendants to court to seek among the following reliefs;
“A declaration that the result of the Governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Imo State chapter dated 2nd October 2018, which declared Senator Hope Uzodinma as the authentic and rightful winner of the Imo State Governorship primary election 2018 is authentic and same duly signed by the APC Imo Governorship primaries ad hoc Committee Chairman (3rd defendant) whose committee conducted the primaries;
A declaration by the honourable court that the purported television announcement and dissolution of the Ahmed Gulak led committee which conducted the Imo State APC governorship primaries 2018 by the 2nd defendant (Comrade Adams Oshiomole) in his capacity as the party’s National Chairman on behalf of the National executive Committee is illegal, undemocratic and same violates the constitution of All Progressives Congress (APC).”
The plaintiffs therefore prayed; “a definite ORDER of the court directing the Comrade Adams Oshiomole led National Executive Committee and all other relevant authorities of the APC to accept and recognize the Ahmed Gulak result dated 2nd October 2018 and same declared and correct result of the Imo State APC governorship primaries for Imo State 2018.”
They therefore prayed the court for; “an ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants (APC and its National Chairman) from re-constituting another committee and or taking any step or further step including the dissolution of the Ahmed Gulak committee, which will jeopardize the already concluded governorship primary of the APC in Imo State won by Senator Hope Uzodinma.”
The trio plaintiffs have also wondered why impunity should continue to rein in the State, wondering the recent purported primary, making it three in a series, showing the desperation of Governor Okorocha.
In the same vein, there is also a subsisting suit and motion on notice of interlocutory injunction filed by Senator Hope Uzodinma, a legal engagement that should have restrained any law abiding entity to act with restraint until the matter before the court is judiciously determined.
Meanwhile seven governorship aspirants led by Prince Eze Madumere and Hope Uzodinma, including Governor Okorocha’s brother-in-law, Engr. Chuks Ololo boycotted the purported Okorocha arranged primary election.
However, the Deputy Governor, Prince Madumere had raised alarm over allotment of votes to all the aspirants who boycotted the purported primary election following serious issues that bordered on litigation and lack of direction from the party leadership, which he views as a misnomer and suspicious in any electioneering process. The aspirants in their joint declaration insisted on Gulak Committee results.
