Confusion over Imo APC guber primaries: There’ll be election – Okorocha, No election – Nabena

There is utter confusion in Imo over the fate of the ill-fated APC governorship primaries.

While Governor Rochas Okorocha has said that there will be election on Friday, the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Yekini Nabena, said no decision had been taken on Imo APC gubernatorial primaries

A statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Jones Onwuasoanya, had invited all registered members across the 305 wards in the State that there would be election on Friday October, 5. The story had gone round that Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, had been assigned the task of conducting fresh governorship primary for Imo.

The statement said, “These elections shall be for the nomination of APC candidates for governorship, Senate, House Representatives and the State House of Assembly.
A special electoral panel set up by the NWC of our great Party is expected in the State later today.

“Members are urged to be at designated voting venues as approved by the State Working Committee of the Party.”

However a statement later in the day from Nabena asked all members to disregard the statement.

It said, “This is to inform the good people of Imo State and most importantly, members of our great party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) to disregard any announcement or social media reports that the cancelled Governorship primary election in Imo State will hold on Friday, October 5th, 2018.

“To be frank with members of our party in Imo state, the National Working Committee of our party had an emergency meeting to take decision that will bring all governorship contestants in Imo State together as members of one family, but the meeting ended without any tangible resolution.

“However, shortly after this stalled meeting, the phone numbers of members of the NWC of APC have been inundated with unabated calls that Minister of Interior, Alduraman Dambazzua has been appointed Chairman of governorship primary election committee for Imo State to conduct an un-existing election.

“Please, disregard any such information either on radio, television or social media that the cancelled Governorship primary election for Imo State is slated for Friday, October 5th, 2018. You will also be notified that the so-called chairman of the said committee, Aldurahaman Dambazzua is out of the country at the moment for official assignment,” the statement said

Nabena said that the leadership of the party has briefed security agents to fish out those behind this dastardly act meant to put the image of the party to ridicule, adding that while the party is looking for possible modalities to resolving the umpase either by consensus or otherwise, interested parties will be communicated through appropriate channels as to whether fresh governorship primary election for Imo or other states whose elections were cancelled will be rescheduled for fresh primary.