Abia Bye-Election: APC’s Loss Is Wake Up Call – Anambra Group

Following the disgraceful loss of the All Progressives Congress(APC), in last Saturday’s bye-election in Abia State, stakeholders of the party in Anambra State have called on decision makers in the party to shelve any plans to impose unpopular candidates in the state.

The APC, which presented a younger brother of the Senate Minority Whip as candidate in the Aba North/South Federal Constituency bye-election, lost by 6749 votes.

Some chieftains of the party operating under the aegis of APC Patriots, Anambra Chapter, revealed that the party lost the bye-election due to imposition of candidate by some party leaders in the state.

In a statement jointly signed by the Co-ordinator of the group, Dozie Ikedife, and spokesman, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, the group wondered how an aspirant(Mascot Uzor-Kalu), who was said to have won the APC primaries with 47, 825 votes – as announced by the Barrister Bisi Idaomi led electoral committee – could not garner beyond 3, 674 votes in the general election.

Part of the statement reads:
“The obvious lack of transparency, which led to the disqualification of the other aspirant in the primaries, Dr. Nwokeocha Ogbonnaya Eze, was a precursor to the poor showing of the APC in the bye-election.

“Being a younger brother of the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, the feeling is rife that Mascot’s emergence as candidate was tantamount to an imposition.

“We, therefore, restate our earlier call, made on March 11, 2021, to the effect that we shall, using all lawful means at our disposal, resist any attempt to anoint any candidate.

“On the contrary, we reiterate our resolve to take over the governance of Anambra state by unveiling, at the appropriate time, a candidate that would be acceptable to majority of Anambrarians.”

The group disclosed that thus far, it haf concluded preliminary consultations with some popular Anambra politicians.

Prominent among members of the group include former House of Representatives members, Chizor Obidigwe and Chukwuemeke Nwogbo, APC South East zonal youth leader, Olisa Onyeka, communications guru, Ike Chidolue, business tycoon, Chidi Ogbaji, veteran strategist, C.J Chinwuba, and Mike Mbanefo, a lawyer