The All Progressives Grand Alliance has declared that former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo remains her governorship candidate for the November 6, 2021 Governorship Election in Anambra State.
The party was reacting to documents making the rounds on social media listing Hon Chukwuma Umeoji as the party’s candidate.
The documents, supposedly signed on Friday by factional Chairman of the party, Barr Jude Okeke and the Secretary, Alhaji Kabiru Yusuf, notifies that the party has forwarded Nomination form EC 138 filed by its candidate and the deputy, Chief Umeoji and Prof Lilian Obiageli Orogbu.
But in a letter on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the Victor Oye-led APGA administration, Barr Tex Okechukwu, made it clear that up till date, it was only Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo that meticulously fulfilled all the requirements enunciated by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the INEC Election Manual and the 2021 Electoral Guidelines of APGA for the 2021 Anambra Governorship Election.
It also said the period permitted by law for the conduct of party primary for the election, downloading, uploading and submission of particulars of the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of political parties ended on July 16, 2021.
According to Okechukwu, anything done thereafter without final judgment of court, is null and void and of no consequence.
“Going by the above, it is indisputable that APGA under the able leadership of Chief Oye vigorously worked to meet the various timelines outlined in the laws regulating the conduct of activities of political parties toward the November 6 Anambra State Governorship Election.
“We find it detestable that some disgruntled elements masquerading as officers of the party would indulge in brazen acts of illegality and fraud, aimed at hoodwinking the unsuspecting members of the public.
“We have studied the so-called nomination form claimed by some persons to have been issued to one Chukwuma Umeoji as APGA candidate, which he purportedly filled and returned to INEC on August 5, 2021 and state without any grain of doubt, that everything about it was irregular and doubtful.
“There are three sets of forms issued to every registered political party by INEC for the Anambra State Governorship Election. These forms were EC 9, EC 9B and EC 13B.
“But in the said fake letter in circulation, they claimed to have submitted only Form EC 13B. This is curious!
“These forms were issued to Chief Oye by INEC as the national chairman of APGA and he subsequently issued the same to Professor Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim who completed them and returned. The forms were then uploaded to INEC using a special code,” he explained.
The APGA Publicity Secretary argued that there was no way INEC would have issued such forms to Chukwuma Umeoji, when the matter is still in court.
He maintained that the only National Chairman and National Secretary recognized by INEC as at now, are Chief Oye and Labaran Maku, respectively, while the only candidate duly known to law and INEC is Professor Soludo and his deputy, Dr. Ibezim.
“We urge our teeming supporters to discountenance the social media propaganda, remain law abiding and await the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Kano Division,” Okechukwu concluded.
