Anambra Central Rerun: Ngige May Dump Ministerial Job To Fight Umeh

-Peter Obi, Ekwunife to bankroll election

By Joe Chukindi, Awka

Feelers reaching our correspondent in Awka the capital of Anambra State is that the minister of Labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige may dump the ministerial job offered him by President Muhammadu Buhari to gun for a seat n the senate.

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Ngige was a candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Anambra Central Senatorial Zone, in the 2015b general elections, but following the annulment of the election, the Appeal Court has disqualified the PDP and its candidate, Hon Uche Ekwunife, while the APC candidate, Ngige has withdrawn from the race.

Ngige withdrew, following his appointment as the minister of labour and employment, while INMEC has insisted that besides Ngige, the APC can not field another candidate as only those who were in the race ab initio can contest.

This put paid to a recent primary election which threw up, Barr Sharaon Ikeazor as the candidate of the party.

The disqualification and withdrawal of the PDP and the APC leaves Chief Victor Umeh as the only strong contender for the senatorial seat come 5^th March 2016.

Our correspondent however gathered that some top politicians, Chief Peter Obi, former governor of the state and Mrs Uche Ekwunife the sacked Senator representing Anambra Central have teamed up to ensure that Umeh does not get an easy sail to the senate.

To this end, both politician have been working on Dr Ngige to resign his position and throw his hat in the ring for the contest, with the promise that while Obi will act as the financier, Ekwunife will be his campaign manager.

Umeh had while hosting some journalists last week at his residence in Aguleri stated that Ngige had declined to him that he will not contest on the grounds that he does not have funds to throw around for the election, and that he want to fully concentrate on his ministerial job.

But with Obi promising alongside Ekwunife to bankroll the election for him, and with the firm promise that he will be delivered, one can say is a big temptation for Ngige to throw in the towel for his ministerial position.

A source close to Ngige who spoke on condition of anonymity said the minister was seriously considering the proposal, but that it is not clear yet if he will yield.

When our correspondent called the minister to ascertain from him whether he will be vying in the election that has just 11 days to be held, he did not take his call.