By Magnus Aluma, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, has insisted that the party’s mandate to occupy the Ebonyi South Senatorial position remains intact and protected.
He gave the indication on Monday, while exchanging views with reporters in his office at Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital. Chief Emegha noted that the rerun election; which would come in a matter of days, became necessary following the resignation of Senator David Umahi who was recently appointed minister.
He stated that the much-expected rerun election, will not rob the rulling APC in the state the position of the Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone. According to him, “there would only be a rerun for Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone following the resignation of Senator David Nweze Umahi, who was appointed as Minister of Works.”
Speaking on the governorship election in the state, Chief Emegha advised the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Dr.Ifeanyi Odi to shelve his ambition and wait for the next sixteen years. He dismissed the rumour that there will also be a rerun of the governorship election in the state, adding that those who are peddling the rumour are merely deceiving themselves.
The APC chairman said, “those who are peddling this rumour, were the State were those milking the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odi in the just concluded general election. He should wait for the next sixteen years.”
Continuing, he said, “why I decided to talk is that when I was in the UK, there was jubilation that, in a matter of days, they would take over Ebonyi State Government through a rerun. Yes, there is only going to be a rerun for Ebonyi South because of the resignation of Senator Umahi after his appointment as Minister of Works.”
“I will crown it that the jubilation is nothing because the mandate belongs to APC. There is nothing wrong with jubilation. The man called Anyi Chuks is a novice in the business. His fans saw it as an avenue for making money. For lawyers, they cannot tell you that you will not win the election. They will be milking you. Anyi Chuks should wait for the next sixteen years, if the God of Ebonyi favours him, he can become the governor.”
He further said, “it is the judiciary that has the power to declare a seat vacant. It will be a fresh rerun because every party is expected to conduct fresh primaries. That seat is constitutional. The party will go ahead to conduct the primaries and whoever wins will fly the flag. The Governor is the leader of the party, and he can decide, but purely, it is going to be an open primary.”
Emegha boasted that the Seat of the Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone, belongs to the ruling APC, insisting that the party must field a credible candidate to win the election.
