The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has vowed to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of the November 6, 2021, Anambra State governorship election.
Chief Basil Ejidike, State Chairman of the party, who stated this in an interview on Sunday, equally accused Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige of being behind the crisis rocking the party in the state.
Speaking ahead of the party’s scheduled State Working Committee (SWC) meeting, Ejidike said after the party primary of June 26, 2021, and the release of the result, Ngige and his boys led the team that rejected the outcome.
He said the protestations by some of the aspirants were on Ngige’s promptings, adding: “This was because, after the announcement of the result, he immediately summoned and encouraged them to reject and denounce the result of the primary.
“This was even when President Muhammadu Buhari had given his blessings and presented the flag to our party’s candidate, Senator Andy Uba. They still resisted the position.”
Efforts to reach Ngige yesterday proved abortive, as he did not make calls to his mobile number.
Ejidike pointed out that the party had resolved to go challenge the outcome of the poll at a tribunal, saying: “This is because we are convinced that the right things were not done.
“We will file our petition to challenge the outcome of the election; that is if the Legal team has not done so already. We are determined to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.”
Also, the Anambra State chapter of APC has set up a disciplinary committee to unravel the level of involvement of Ngige and Managing Director of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Agency (NIWA), George Moghalu, in the crisis that led to the purported suspension of the Ejidike.
Addressing newsmen at the party’s Secretariat in Awka, Ejidike accused Ngige of being the major arrowhead of his purported suspension due to his penchant for parading himself as leader of the party in the state.
He expressed disappointment with Ngige and Moghalu, among others, for their role in the crisis in the party in which they were greatest beneficiaries, stressing that APC in the state could make do with notable leaders like senators Uba, Stella Oduah and others.
