At the meeting held in Abuja by the national executive members of the newly formed All Progressive Congress [APC], the deputy national chairman [South East] was asked to resign with immediate effect. As 247ureports.com learnt from a competent source, Senator Annie Okonkwo had informed the body of the meeting that he intended on vying for the governor of Anambra state under the party banner of the APC.
Senator Annie Okonkwo’s information to the executive members of the APC drew rebukes from the attendees of the meeting. In particular, he was pointed to the constitution of the APC which states that an executive member of the party must resign 30 days before the official start of campaign season.
Senator Okonkwo who was not happy to hear the response from his colleagues – rose and protested against the fact that he is barred from contesting. The senator retorted that executive members of the party were not included in the APC constitutional clause – this it was only civil servants that are affected. At this point, Nasir El Rufai demanded Senator Annie Okonkwo’s resignation.
The Senator was quickly corrected by the legal adviser who read aloud the APC constitutional clause requiring members of the APC executives to resign their post 30days before the start of campaign exercise.
With this, it became obvious the gubernatorial aspirations of Senator Annie Okonkwo under the APC banner would be achieved for the Anambra 2013 election.
Meanwhile, a source in Awka told 247ureports.com that Senator Annie Okonkwo may have joined the Anambra gubernatorial race under the beckoning of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State. As learnt, Governor Okorocha wants to plant his choice and/or preferred candidates in Abia and Anambra States. Okorocha had bragged recently that he will plant APC governors in Anambra, and then Abia State.
Okorocha is presently at loggerheads with the governors of Abia and Anambra state.
It can be recalled that Senator Annie Okonkwo had joined the APGA – as a potential gubernatorial candidate. From the APGA, like Governor Rochas Okorocha, he joined the merger group to form the APC.
The national executive of the APGA has since suspended the governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha from the party.
