There is uneasy calm in the Onitsha South Local Government chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) following a plot to smuggle a non-candidate into the list of chairmanship candidates ahead of this Saturday’s local government primary elections of the party.
Recall that Onitsha South Local Government Area, along with other council areas, conducted its delegate primary elections, which produced three candidates, while the incumbent mayor is to participate in the Saturday primary election proper.
However, it was uncovered this Thursday that the Deputy Mayor of the council area, who never took part in the delegate primary elections, Hon. Onyebuchi Obi, is about to be smuggled into the list of candidates for the election, bringing the number to five.
When this reporter tried to contact the state executive members of the party, none of them offered to speak on the development, as it was alleged that the national leadership of the party was aware of the plot.
One of the media assistants to Bar. Sylvester Ezeokenwa, the National Chairman of the party, Mr. Vincent Ezechukwu, dismissed the allegation, contending that it was unfounded.
“The National Chairman has no hand in the alleged plot and you know that as a legal practitioner who believes in the law and due process, he cannot be part of this and he swore to uphold the constitution of the party as well as the guidelines on the conduct of the primary elections,” he said.
