*BY RALPH EJIMKONYE*
There is drama in Imo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress over its governorship primary as two governorship candidates have emerged.
The primary was to be held yesterday (October 1, 2018) but the late arrival of the Governorship Primary Election led by Ahmed Gulak made the exercise not to hold.
A statement by the State Publicity Secretary, FCC Onwusonaya Jones had informed party members that the Primary was shifted to Tuesday and materials for the exercise held in safe custody by the State Commissioner of Police.
Before then, violence had erupted in Mbaitoli Local Government where some youths set ablaze a vehicle branded with the images of President Muhammadu Buhari and a governorship aspirant, Uche Nwosu
On Tuesday morning, some party members who showed up at the polling centres were yet to see materials. Again, the State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mr. Jones issued another statement alleging that the Chairman of the Governorship Primary Committee, Ahmed Gulak was nowhere to be found.
Part of the statement reads: “Party members are hereby alerted that the whereabouts of the Chairman of Imo APC Governorship Primary Election Committee, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak is at this moment unknown.
“The Chairman of the committee and his members were lodged at the Rockview Hotel, Owerri, the Imo State capital, on their arrival from Abuja, yesterday, while materials for the primary election we’re handed over to the Commissioner of Police for safe keeping.
“This morning, the State Chairman of the Party, Daniel Madueke Nwafor went to the hotel to ascertain levels of preparation and to get the committee to retrieve the materials and begin the process of conducting the primary, only to realize that the Chairman is no longer in the room, he was lodged in. Most members of the committee are still around and have made it clear that they do not know the whereabouts of the Chairman of the committee.
“The Direct Governorship Primary Election which was supposed to hold yesterday was shifted to today as a result of late arrival of materials and personnel for the conduct of the exercise. Party members are hereby informed that the primary election is yet to commence as a result of this” the statement stated.
Before the statement, there were several postings on the social media by agents by one of the aspirants, Senator Hope Uzodinma that the senator has won the governorship primary for Imo State. The postings were backed with figures.
Barely an hour the report surfaced, the Okorocha backed Imo APC State Executive announced that former Chief of Staff and a governorship aspirant, Uche Nwosu has also won the Primary. Results sheets were also posted to show how Nwosu emerged.
A statement from the state chapter of the party reads “The Imo APC Governorship Primary Election Committee 2018, has declared the immediate past Chief of Staff to the Imo State Government, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu as the governorship candidate of the Party in Imo State.
“Declaring the result, Hon. Henry Idahagbon who stood in as the Returning Officer for the Direct Primary election explained that the Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Ahmed Ali Gulak had left the State before the primary election could be concluded.
“He affirmed that the Wards and LGA electoral officers were duly appointed by the Panel around 3:30 pm on the 1st of October, 2018 and that the primary election process was concluded on the 2nd of October, 2018, with Ugwumba Uche Nwosu emerging victorious with the total votes of 455,655, while his closest rival, Air Commodore Peter Gbujie placed a distant second, polling 9, 351 votes.
With two separate result sheets flying on the social media announcing two winners and with the reported disappearance of the Chairman of Governorship Primary, the political climate in the APC in Imo State looks foggy. It is expected that National Working Commitee, NWC will intervene in the matter.
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