OSIBEROHA Osibe, Awka
The last is yet to be heard in the build up to the rerun for the Anambra Central Senatorial District seat as the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have concluded plans to dump Chief (Mrs) Uche Ekwunife who declared her interest to participate in theFebruary 23, 2016 rerun into the seat she lost following the nullification of her election by the Court of Appeal in Enugu last month on the platform of APC.
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Indications have emerged that most of the national and State leaders and chieftains of APC are not comfortable with the manner Ekwunife, popularly called Iyom jumped into APC from PDP for the purpose of seeking re-election after the door was shut against her aspiration by PDP, on which platform she had earlier won the botched election.
To this end, aCcording to our source, she may have been sidelined and technically knockout and replaced by Sharon Olive Ikeazor, a lawyer who is described by APC members and supporters as ‘one of their own’.
With 30 years experience in the legal profession, Mrs Ikeakor who was married to the late legal luminary and founder of Legal Aid Council, Chief Chimezie Ikeazor, Oboli of Obosi, was a pioneer Women Leader of APC and currently a member of the party’s Board of Trustees.
Declaring her interest to contest the Senatorial ticket when she stormed the State APC Headquarters Awka to present her letter titled “Expression of Interest to Run for the Anambra Central Senatorial Seat” dated 8th January 2016, to the full House of the State Executive of APC led by Barrister Emeka Ibe, Awka, Wednesday, Mrs Ikeakor stated that she has paid her dues to win the ticket.
Her letter which was presented to the State APC reads: ‘‘Being a foundation member of our great party, I believe that our party will give all necessary support in my quest for the Senatorial seat and I assure our party that I will represent APC in the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with with pride and great honour and uphold the integrity of which our party stands for.
Mrs Ikeakor who was accompanied by lEbere Ifendu, her associate in the Women in Politics in Nigeria tipped APC to win the rerun in the light of the increasing awareness and acceptability of the party in the South East zone and assured that she would play politics of integrity, represent her Constituency very well and work for the interest of the people of the State at the National Assembly if elected.
Mrs Ikeazor who donated copies of APC Constitution had also served as a National Women Leader of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) from 2011 till the merger of 2013 that metamorphosed into APC, and later emerged as the Pioneer National Women Leader in the interim till 2014 before she was appointed as a member of BOT of APC.
Equally, she had served as a member of the CPC Special Convention Committee in 2013, APC Registration Committee, Chairman Ekiti State Congress Committee, General Muhammadu Buhari Declaration Committee, 2014 Presidential Primary Convention, APC Presidential Primary Convention, APC Presidential Campaign Council and 2015 Presidential Inauguration Committee.
Welcoming her, the State Chairman, Barrister Ibe thanked her for showing interest and promised that APC would follow due process and give all aspirants a level plating ground.
Barrister Ibe urged the contestants to bear in mind the watchword of APC which is to fight insecurity, corruption and create job, and to work to enhance the work of President Muhammadu Buhari.
