Eleven governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra state on Saturday said the primary election scheduled to hold in the state did not take place in any part of the state.
They alleged series of compromises that characterised the process, including late arrival of materials and change of venues, describing the process as fraudulent.
Addressing newsmen in Awka, the state capital, one of the aspirants Chief George Muoghalu who spoke on behalf of the others, said any results purporting to have thrown up any person, regardless of his position would not be accepted.
He described the ugly development as unfortunate, regretting that it had left placed big question mark on the democratic credentials of the party.
He said, “Today, was scheduled as APC primaries. But to our greatest disappointment, the election never held. We saw signs of what eventually happened and raised issues about it. The stakeholders meeting scheduled for 1pm, held around 8pm. Apologies were rendered and we accepted.
“In attempt to accommodate the time lost, the primary process scheduled for 8am, by general consensus, was moved to 10am to end at 2pm before the actual voting will start across the 326wards in the state.
“To everybody’s shock a scenario that looked predetermined, played out. The earliest materials arrived around 3.35pm, in breach of the scheduled time. Knowing full well that 4-hours is required. As at 5.45pm, materials were still being distributed.
“More painful is the fact that while the materials were being distributed, results of elections that never held started filtering in. It’s sad and most unfortunate.
“Let me also state here that there was an issue we raised at the stakeholders meeting with regards to the venues, new venues unknown to us appeared in the list of venues contrary to the ones designated by INEC, miles away from voting centers.
“Unfortunately, it’s the party that loses in instances like this. Because we’re in a situation where a big question mark is placed on the democratic credentials of our party.
“That’s not acceptable to us. There was no election, and we resist any attempt to manipulate the process in favour of any body.
“We had demanded from the committee a very level playing field so that whoever emerges as the party candidate will be seen to have emerged through a credible process which I’m sure will be accepted by everyone of us here who don’t see the exercise as a do or die affair.
“Every stakeholder, including observers, players, security agencies and INEC that no such thing happened. Therefore, any results purporting to have thrown up any person, no matter whoever such person may be, is a major fraud of the highest order.”
Amobi Nwokafor, Geffory Onyejegbu, Johnbosco Onunkwo, Ben Etiaba, Azuka Okosa, Edozie Mmadu, Paul Orajiaka and Chidozie Nwankwo were among the aspirants that addressed the press.
