June 28, (THEWILL) – The Ebonyi State All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter Chairman, Mr Stanley Okoro Emegha, on Monday, blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for not publishing the name of the state governor, David Umahi, from the shortlisted APC senatorial candidates.
Emegha, who spoke to journalists in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, said the removal of the governor’s name was not done by the national leadership of APC, but was a minor error from the INEC.
He said, “I went there, it was a minor error from the INEC side and it has been corrected. There was nothing like that, the governor’s name did not come, it wasn’t coming from the party, and the necessary things were done. The stepping down of the two candidates that contested for that senatorial election was there with the party and INEC.
“INEC was invited for the re-conduction, because there was enough time for the party to re-conduct another primary election, which will usher in another person. And the time was actually met, the re-conduction of the election was done, the video clips are there, all the necessary security agencies and the ministries that were supposed to be there were there on the day of the re-conduction of the senatorial candidate primaries of APC, in Ebonyi south.
“And then, a panel was set up at the national secretariat, Abuja and they arrived. we took them to Afikpo, which is the venue for such event, they did all the necessary things, and the delegates that were supposed to participate in the primaries were all there.
“Mind you, the particular column was blank, so there wasn’t an issue. If you like, they can still forward a list of the states that had issues and the possible substitution they made, because the national office of the party cannot afford to leave any particular space vacant.
“Anybody carrying any news is carrying it on their own. But I went to Abuja, I called them and asked them why I’m seeing and hearing such stories on social media, they traced it and saw where it was coming from and it was immediately corrected”, he said.
Emegha harped on the reason for the reconduct of the senatorial primary of Ebonyi south, when he said, “Austin Umahi pulled out to concentrate on his business.
“It is not a substitution, it was a re-conduction of primaries, he said it will tie his business down”, he disclosed.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
