ANAMBRA NORTH TO SANCTION NGIGES RUNNING MATE. Political leaders from the Anambra North Senatorial District of Anambra State have risen from a meeting where they resolved to sanction any person who goes against the ambition of the zone to produce the next Governor of the state. Presenting a communique after the meeting on Monday, the Omambala Forum made up of four council areas of Anambra North and Awka North council area, led by former Minister of Health, Tim Menakaya, and 15 others, reiterated that “the Ndi Omambala as a whole would support and adopt a credible candidate of Anambra North Senatorial District origin in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State irrespective of political platform.” This position is interpreted in political circles as a ploy by the zone to sanction running mate to Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ralph Okeke, in the November 16 governorship election. It would be recalled that the campaign for power-shift to Anambra North gave impetus to the emergence of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Willie Obiano, and Tony Nwoye, one of the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But Ngige picked his running mate, Okeke, from Anambra North. Okeke was once chairman of the Anambra West council area before becoming a two- term member of the House of Representatives representing Anambra East and Anambra West Federal Constituency. The meeting on Monday resolved that all representatives of Omambala shall embark on total mobilisation of the electorate in their communities to ensure victory for an adopted candidate in the November 16 governorship poll. It also resolved that “any person of Omambala origin that goes against this firm wish and desire of Ndi Omambala to produce the next Governor of Anambra State shall be sanctioned.” However, reacting to the development, Director of Media and Publicity of the Ngige Campaign Organisation, Charles Amilo, said the action is against the Constitution of the country which guarantees freedom of lawful association. He added that the body does not have locus to take such action. “Ralph Okeke is a Nigerian and has the right to associate with whoever he chooses to in a lawful manner and nobody can deprive him of that right. “The entire thing is targeted at our candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, and I can assure you that the rest of Anambra North which includes Ogbaru, Onitsha North and Onitsha South are not in support of it. “Okeke has the right to go to court to enforce his fundamental human right which the people are trying to trample upon. From now on, we shall hold these people responsible for whatever happens to Ralph Okeke, his supporters and his family members,” Amilo said. Meanwhile, there are allegations that the candidate of APGA, Obiano, was involved in double registration as a voter. Obiano was alleged to have registered in Lagos and Awka, Anambra State capital. But he did not register at his ward in Aguleri town of Anambra East Local Government area. Reacting to the issue of double registration, state Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, warned that it would attract severe consequences in line with the Constitution. Head of Media and Publicity for Ifeanyi Ubah Campaign Organisation, Chukwuemeka, flayed Obiano for the alleged infraction. “For him to have registered in Lagos shows that he does not come home to see his people in Anambra. It means that he does not attend town union, kindred and family meetings. “Now that he has been made a candidate, he chose to come home and register not in Aguleri his home town but in Awka, Anambra Central. Anambra people should be wise.” But Anambra State APGA Chairman, Mike Kwentoh, told reporters that the allegation of double registration was not true, adding that what Obiano did was to transfer his registration from Lagos to Anambra. “The allegation of double registration is not true. Obiano only transferred his registration to Anambra State. People should disregard such stories.” Meanwhile, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed as “reckless, baseless and completely unfounded” a media report on Monday that the party has zoned its Vice Presidential slot to the South West instead of South East. In a statement in Lagos on Monday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said the report was “orchestrated by those who are threatened by the high profile and prospects” of the party’s candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State. ‘’Having realised that their attempt to milk the so-called deportation issue has fallen flat on its face, these desperate politicians have now resorted to outright lies and wild imagination. “They figure that if they played the South- West against the South-East, by saying the APC has zoned the VP
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 04:50:06 +0000