2015 IMO GUBER ELECTION: ‘IHENACHO’S ENDORSEMENT IN ORDER’ - Party Chairman

The chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Imo State Barr. Peter Ezeobi, has described the recent endorsement of the former Minister of Interior Capt Emmanuel Ihenacho as the APGA consensus candidate for the 2015 governorship election in Imo State by members of the Imo State Executive Committee of the party in the state as democratic and in line with APGA constitution.

Barr. Ezeobi said in a recent interview he granted to the press at his office at Imo APGA State Secretariat along Egbu Road Owerri.

Speaking, the former commissioner for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) stated that the signatories to the endorsement are majority of the leaders of the party.

'The endorsement of Capt. Ihenacho was done by the leaders of the party and it is not only conventional but legal, democratic and in line with APGA constitution on nomination of aspirants for governorship election. When the National Working Committee of our party visited us recently, they also advised for us to go for a consensus candidate. Therefore they leaders endorsed Capt Ihenacho and forwarded the endorsement to me. Accordingly, I have also forwarded it to the National Working Committee according to APGA constitution. The endorsement still stands. The rest remains for the leaders of the party at the national level to decide on. However, this does not foreclose primary election if need be…'.

On the press release by the Publicity Secretary Chief Tony Mgbeahuruike refuting the endorsement, Barr. Ezeobi said that the press release was not authorized by the leadership of the party in the state stating that the action was a nullity and should be disregarded.

It could be recalled that the press carried some publications recently on the nomination and endorsement of the former Nigerian Minister of Interior Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho, as the consensus candidate of APGA in Imo State for the 2015 Imo governorship election. This endorsement was signed BY members of the State Executive Committee of the party.. In reaction, an aspirant for the same ticket, Mr. Okey Eze and his campaign organisation have been sponsoring various publications in the print media describing the endorsement as 'false, undemocratic, unworthy, childish and illegal'. Also, the aspirant and his supporters are trying to drag the name of the beneficiary of the endorsement to the mud in the said media campaign and propaganda. As a follow up, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Chief Tony Mgbeahurike, also issued a press statement trying to associate the party's State Executive Committee with the above position by Mr. Eze and his group.