The All Progressives Congress (APC) at weekend concluded its House of Representatives primary elections in Ebonyi State, with serving lawmakers and other party stalwarts emerging victorious across the six federal constituencies in the state.
The APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee led by Barrister Kennedy Ekong declared the results after receiving reports from the various constituencies where the direct primaries were conducted.
Those who emerged as candidates of the party include Emmanuel Uguru for Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency, Eze Nwachukwu Eze for Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency, Chinedu Ogah for Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Joseph Nwobasi for Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency, Kama Nkemkanma for Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency and Iduma Enwo Igariwey for Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency.
Governor Francis Nwifuru commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise and expressed confidence in the emergence of credible candidates capable of sustaining the dominance of the party in the state.
Speaking with journalists at the APC State Secretariat in Abakaliki shortly after the distribution of sensitive materials for the exercise, Nwifuru said extensive consultations and stakeholders’ meetings were held ahead of the primaries to ensure a smooth process.
“We did a very noble consultation with our stakeholders. We had so many stakeholders’ meetings. Issues were sorted out at the zonal and constituency levels and what we are going to do today is to elect the candidates that will fly the flag of our party,” the governor stated.
He dismissed speculations of parallel primaries in Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency, insisting that the party recognised only one congress committee for the exercise.
“We have only one congress committee. If people are contesting elections, what is normal is for them to come out to the field and test their popularity. That is democracy. There is no need for parallel congress and nobody is going to conduct parallel congress,” he added.
Chairman of the National Electoral Committee for the APC House of Representatives primary election in Ebonyi State, Barrister Kennedy Ekong, disclosed that election materials were distributed to accredited ward centres across the 13 local government areas of the state.
According to him, officials were also deployed to monitor accreditation and voting processes in line with the party’s direct primary guidelines.
Meanwhile, member representing Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency, Iduma Enwo Igariwey, dismissed reports circulating on social and conventional media alleging that he had been disqualified from contesting the APC primaries.
Igariwey, who was declared winner of the primary election in the constituency, said the reports were the handiwork of mischief makers who allegedly circulated a document bearing a different name.
“God forbid bad thing! Nobody disqualified me. I saw a document that doesn’t bear my name and if you look at that document, you will see that it is Iduma Igariwey Enwo that is there which is my official name,” he said.
The lawmaker explained that disqualification of an aspirant could only be done within the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act, stressing that due process and fair hearing must be followed.
Earlier, Chairman of the primary election panel in Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency, Alphonsus Nwali, announced that Igariwey scored 5,368 votes in Edda and 9,785 votes in Afikpo, bringing his total votes to 15,157 to emerge winner of the exercise.
Also speaking after emerging victorious in the Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency primary, member representing the constituency, Kama Nkemkanma, promised to attract more democratic dividends to the area if re-elected.
“I’m elated and very happy for being given another opportunity to serve my people. I’m grateful to all the stakeholders, our leaders, our constituents and most importantly our governor who stood by us throughout the process,” Kama said.
He assured constituents that his return to the National Assembly would enable him attract more federal projects and opportunities to the constituency as a ranking member of the House of Representatives.
Similarly, member representing Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, Chinedu Ogah, praised the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the primaries, attributing it to the leadership style of Governor Nwifuru.
Ogah said the absence of violence and rancour during the exercise reflected unity within the party and the acceptance of the consensus arrangement by party members.
“You can see today there is no fight, there is no burning of houses, there is no killing and no attack. The kind of love, unity and understanding the governor has shown in Ebonyi politics is what we want to be permanent,” he stated.
The Ebonyi State APC Chairman, Stanley Okoro Emegha, also expressed confidence that the primaries would remain peaceful across the state, describing the APC in Ebonyi as a united political family capable of resolving internal disagreements through dialogue.
