BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
Less than 12 hours to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for the submission of names of presidential, Senatorial and national assembly Candidates to INEC portal, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee NWC is said to have come under intense pressure to replace the party’s Senatorial Candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District, Hon Sam Onuigbo.
A section of the party is said to be pushing for his replacement with Chief Emeka Atuma,who ran for governor and lost and never picked Form to run for Senate.
Hon Onuigbo, a serving Member of the House of Representatives, had emerged in the Abia Central Senatorial primary, after defeating his closest rival, Hon Henry Ikoh 157-152 votes in an exercise monitored by INEC, and endorsed by the returning officer.
However, in a display of impunity, some leaders of the party in the state, are alleged to have mounted intense pressure on the NWC to have the candidate’s name substituted .
Inside source in the APC National secretariat disclosed that the Abia APC leaders are working with Chief Emma Enukwu, the party’s Deputy National Chairman, South, to upturn the result that is already with the INEC.
It was reliably gathered that the move which attracted strong opposition from some vocal members of the NWC who argued that the action will put the NWC in disrepute is yet unresolved.
When confronted with the grapevine find, Hon Onuigbo said he is not aware of any threat to replace his name, stating that APC abhors impunity.
He however warned against anything that may discourage party faithful who turned out enmass in Umuahia to pick their favorite representative, not to mention possible legal implications of such highanded action.
“I have been confronted with this issue by many people including journalists and party faithfuls but I don’t want to believe it is true that the NWC of our party can do it. APC abhors impunity. It’s a party that believes in and upholds justice and peace. So, I can’t see the party indulging in what would mess up our chances in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.”
