Anambra APC Denies Hijack Of Its Revalidation/Registration Exercise By Governorship Aspirant

Awka – The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has debunked rumours of hijack of its ongoing revalidation and registration exercise by some politicians within the party.

Over the past week, some APC Governorship aspirants had raised alarm that former Senator Andy Uba, who also aspires to the seat of the State helmsman, had hijacked the exercise to gain upper hand during the party’s Governorship primaries, scheduled for later this year.

There were also reported cases of issues with the ongoing exercise in Orumba North, Onitsha North and Oyi Local Government Areas of the State.

But while speaking with TNC correspondent in Awka on Wednesday, the Anambra State APC Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike said the party has not received any threat to the ongoing exercise, which he noted, is progressing across the 4,907 polling units in the state as directed by the national headquarters.

He condemned the actions of some members of the party who spread the rumors, describing it as totally false an misleading.

“Some of them even went to the point of saying that there was crisis within the party. All these are not true. The point in fact is that there were minor issues in Orumba North, Onitsha North and Oyi Council Areas, I personally visited those areas and made sure those were resolved,” he said.

The Anambra APC Chairman, who agreed with the National headquarters of the party on the need to conduct the exercise, explained that it is important to enable the party know its strength and be able to plan for its members.

“You will recall that the last registration exercise was about 5 or 6 years ago and it has become imperative at this point that we take stock. The committee for Anambra set up by the headquarters arrived the state on the 6th of February and met with stakeholders as well as trained supervisors.

“The distribution of materials was distributed on the 9th and 10th of this month and the exercise is progressing smoothly as would be attested to by Senator Ken Nnamani, the leader of the Southeast Zonal Committee who visited the state to monitor what we are doing,” he revealed.

Chief Ejidike revealed that the State Chapter of the APC had so far received a total of forty million naira,as donations for the ongoing exercise, from the National Headquarters and the Governors of Imo state and Ebonyi, Senator Hope Uzodinma and Engr Dave Umahi respectively.

He however noted that to successfully conduct the exercise, the party requires about 180 to 200 million naira.

“In Anambra, we have 21 LGAs, 326 wards and 4,907 polling units. This exercise is going on at the polling unit level and we have 3 registrars for each polling unit. So far, we have received from our headquarters, the sum of 20 million naira. The governors of Imo and Ebonyi states gave us 10 million naira each also. But considering the area we have to cover, we require about 180 to 200 million naira to successfully prosecute this assignment,” he said.

Ejidike revealed that the chapter has scheduled Saturday, 20th of February for a critical stakeholders meeting, to review the exercise so far, make inputs on the way forward and raise funds to ensure the success of the process.

The APC Chairman acknowledged that the APC in Anambra has now been repositioned and is now more attractive than it used to be, considering the massive influx into the party by top politicians in the state.

“In recent times, we have witnessed massive decamping into our party and one of such was the decampment from APGA, of the Deputy Majority leader in Anambra State House of Assembly, Jideofor Okoye who joined our party with his teeming supporters across the state. This is evident to the fact that Anambra people have rejected APGA. I therefore urge our people to use this opportunity of revalidation and registration to join the APC. Anambra cannot afford to remain in the opposition. It is my belief that come November 6, 2021, our people will show their resentment over the massive deception by APGA, by voting in an APC governor,” he enthused.

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