*Minister -Ngige accused of fomenting disunity
From Chuks Collins, Awka
The last may have been heard about the declaration of Prof Chukwuma Soludo as winner of the just concluded November 6,2021 Anambra State Governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The outcome, according to the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Basil Ejidike was going to be challenged by the party in the Election Petitions tribunal in Awka. And that’s authentic!
This confirmation was given in Awka late afternoon Sunday, November 28, 2021 in a press interview by the State Chairman of the party, Chief Basil Ejidike.
Coming closely on the heels of that assertion, Ejidike who could be said to have developed a formidable relationship with the party’s Governorship flagbearer in the election, Senator Andy Uba was incidentally asked to step aside by the party at the State Working Committee meeting held at the state secretariat Sunday afternoon in Awka.
Before the development, Ejidike had fingered the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige as the brain behind all the past and present crises rocking the party in the state.
In an exclusive interview ahead the day’s scheduled State Working Committee meeting, Ejidike noted that, “ after the party primaries of June 26, 2021, and the result was announced by the party Ngige and his boys led the team that objected. And the protestations by some of the aspirants was clearly on the prompting of Senator Ngige. Their was because he immediately after the announcement of the result summoned and encouraged them to reject and denounce the primary election result. This was even when Mr President had given his blessings and presented the flag to our party’s candidate, Distinguished Senator Andy Uba. They still resisted the position.
“I want to ask, is that the way a committed party man should function? If there is no discipline in any organization, that organization will not stand.
“Come to think of it, if you check the records of the results from the polling units of these so-called leaders, starting from the 2017 poll you will find out that they all failed in their polling units, Wards and Council Areas. So if that was the situation, what then makes them leaders or stakeholders of the party?
“However, the truth of the matter is that we are now very determined to reposition the party in order to make it stronger and formidable to withstand future political challenges successfully. Because we cannot continue to live in a circle and not move forward”, he concluded.
The Minister was unable to give his own reaction when contacted on the phone. His phone continued ringing without response or call back.
Chief Ejidike who spoke shortly after series of meetings on his return from the national secretariat of APC pointed out that the party hierarchy at the highest level has resolved to instill more discipline in its ranks especially in the state so as to make progress.
On the outcome of the Nov 6 Anambra State Governorship poll, Chief Ejidike pointed out that, “…we have resolved to go to tribunal to challenge the outcome of the election.
“This is because we are very convinced that the right things were not done. We are going to file our petition to challenge the outcome and declaration; that is if the Legal team has not done so already. We are going to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.”
Investigation revealed that all aggrieved or those dissatisfied with the outcome of the poll has up till midnight on Tuesday to file their petitions before the constitutionally allowable time elapses.
