The All Progressive Congress, APC, in Imo State, Monday, said it’s Primary for Okigwe Senate bye election, which produced Frank Ibezim as candidate, was transparent and orderly.
A statement by spokesman of the party, Cajethan Duke, said partly “there was a free, fair and credible contest among the 11 aspirants,Hon.Frank Ibezim who polled a total of 13, 687 votes to defeat other contestants including Senator Araraume, who came a distant 3rd position with 2, 708 votes, behind Hon. Mathew Omegara with 2,826 votes, emerged victorious and was duly returned as candidate of the party by the Election Panel led by Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Bisuriu”
“That we have no record of any parallel primary of our party anywhere across the 64 political wards of Imo North Senatorial district (Okigwe zone), as we witnessed a most free, fair and transparent and hitch free exercise supervised by the National Election Panel led by Senator Bisuriu and monitored by officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant security agencies” part of the statement read
The APC said it “frowns at the level of unwarranted fabrication of falsehood to bring the party into contempt and Public opprobrium, we wish to remind those responsible to desist forthwith, as the party will no further tolerate any act of anti party related activity, indiscipline or violation of any relevant provision of the party’s constitution. This serves as a last warning, as appriorate disciplinary actions will be taken against anyone found culpable, no matter how highly placed”
The party called on members of “the reading public to disregard in it’s entirety the misleading publication from The Nation newspaper, as it is mischievous and misleading”
Meawhile, the National Caretaker Committee of the APC, Abuja, Monday said all aspirants which vied for the party’s senatorial primary were cleared by the Screening Committee.
Yekini Nabena, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party was quoted to have said “
He confirmed all of them were eligible for the primary, which held last Thursday.
“The truth of the matter is that all the 11 aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket in Imo North Senatorial district were cleared by the Screening Appeal Committee.
“It was on the strength of the decision of the appeal panel that informed the statement the party issued on the 1st of September, 2020 clearing all aspirants to contest the primary,” Nabena stated.
He confirmed all of them were eligible for the primary, which held last Thursday.
“The truth of the matter is that all the 11 aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket in Imo North Senatorial district were cleared by the Screening Appeal Committee.
“It was on the strength of the decision of the appeal panel that informed the statement the party issued on the 1st of September, 2020 clearing all aspirants to contest the primary,” Nabena stated.
