Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has washed its hands off in the alleged ongoing endorsement of candidates for the 2019 governorship election in the state by Governor Rochas Okorocha and some other groups.
The party has promised to accord all aspirants a level-playing ground during its scheduled primaries, while insisting to support only candidates that wins at the primaries.
Chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Hillary Eke, who spoke to newsmen during the formal declaration of governorship ambition by a retired Air Force Officer, Air Commodore Peter Gbujie (rtd), in Akabo, Ahiazu Mbaise Council Area, noted that the party has not conducted its primaries, while maintaining that until the party does so, nobody is an automatic candidate.
“Our party APC, we have not conducted our primaries, and I want to let you know that in politics somebody has right to say i adopt this person, he is my candidate, that is what it means, it is not that the party has adopted any candidate”. Eke said.
Eke, however, pointed out that Governor Okorocha’s recent endorsement of his Chief of Staff and son in-law, Chief Uche Nwosu, as his likely successor, was a private decision which didi not reflect the position of the party.
Eke maintained that the governor has a right to support anyone for any position, “but should not be mistaken as the position of the party”.
Speaking on the reported mock primary proposed by the state governor, the APC chairman explained that, “My governor is very democratic. He can never propose anything like mock primary but it is still nothing unusual. It is you the pressmen that is making it sound unusual.
“Firstly, my governor never called for any mock primary but I want to let you know that even if that took place, it is not unusual because previously in this state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) never conducted primary elections, they do selections. But my governor is a democratic person”.
On the issue of Owerri zone agitating for the governorship position, Eke said that the party had not ceded the governorship position to any part of the state, adding that “Owerri zone, Okigwe zone, Orlu zone are all qualified to contest for the governorship election and all those clamouring for zoning, do so with their votes”.
Those who have so far indicated interest to contest the governorship election under the APC platform included the state’s deputy governor, Prince Eze Madumere, the governor’s Chief of Staff and son in-law, Chief Uche Nwosu, Air Commodore Peter Gbujie (rtd), a former Secretary to the State Government, Sir Jude Ejiogu, and the governor’s brother in-law and husband of the Commissioner for Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment, Engr. Chuks Ololo.
Meanwhile, the new entrant for the APC governorship ticket, Gbujie, has also dismissed the governor’s endorsement of his so-in-law as a personal action that would not determine who gets the APC ticket or win the governorship election.
Gbujie said that he was not intimidated by the action or the flood of endorsements of some politicians, describing as mere deceit induced by money, “When a couple of persons come under one name and endorse anybody probably after collecting money, that does not suggest that the person is the choice of the people but even at that I am not intimidate.
“I am a General and you cannot intimidate a General. I am the only person who is in the race that has taken his aspiration to the people. I want us to go to the field and pursue our ambitions instead of buying endorsements. I remain the candidate to beat in the 2019 governorship election,” Gbujie said.