Members of the All Progressive Congress APC in the Oru West council area of Imo State have kicked against the imposition of purported chairmanship candidate Engr. Ikenna Adikibe and councillorship candidates in the forthcoming council elections in Imo State.
The people said that they were not satisfied with the person imposed on them because they were not the choice of the entire people of Oru West.
They observed that the candidates imposed on them are not pragmatic, visionary, and accessible leaders who will efficiently work to meet the needs and interests of the people in accordance with the democratic ethos and the Shared Prosperity Government Agenda.
In a statement issued to newsmen in Owerri on Thursday, a chieftain of APC in Oru West, Mr Stanley Ugwumadu, said that members of the party in the area are in support of APC’s decision on consensus primary election but are not satisfied that equity and zoning arrangements were not duly considered in the selection of candidates, a decision he said should fairly and urgently be reconsidered to avoid the breach of peace and orderliness.
Ugwumadu noted that considering the two political divides (zones) Oru North and Oru West in the LGA, it is the turn of Oru North to produce the elected Chairman of Oru West Council, stating that the person imposed on the Party at the LGA is not from Oru North, adding that his area in general and his ward in particular (Mgbidi Ward 2) is currently saturated with the positions of the current Imo State House of Assembly and two different supercommissioners, as well as the Sole Administrator of the Council.
He wondered how the same electoral ward would be allowed to produce a candidate for the forthcoming local government elections in Oru West LGA, thereby ignoring the 9 other wards of the LGA.
The APC stalwart wondered why a sitting Sole Administrator (SOLAD) who did not formerly resign from office and never consulted the Party executive or campaigned before the primary election could be shortlisted as a “candidate” of the APC, saying such an anomaly was quite unconstitutional, vexatious, and undemocratic.
He said, “It is worthy of note to observe that the zoning system has existed and was agreed upon; hence, only 2 aspirants from Oru North axis purchased nomination and expression of interest forms and also passed through the party screening exercise, contrary to the purported emergence of Engr. Ikenna Adikibe on the “circulating fake list.”.
He said, “I am not from Oru North, but I was downcast and felt highly withdrawn with the injustice of the so-tagged “FAKE LIST” of APC Chairmanship Candidature Primary, where Mgbidi, after pocketing Oru West House of Assembly Seat, two Commissioners, the Sole Administrator is being favoured again as the APC flag bearer in Oru West LGA chairmanship seat for the forthcoming Imo State LGA elections.
He said, “Several other wards of the LGA are all complaining about how their purported councillors emerged as “candidates.” Where Is The Equity? Where Is The Justice? Where Is The Clamoured Consensus Candidature Within APC?
He said, “Does it portend that Otulu, Ozara, Amaofuo, Ubulu, Ibiasoegbe, Eleh, Ohakpu, Nempi, and Aji wards and communities are spectators and not qualified in the Oru West LGA project?”
The group declared: “We are deeply sad, withdrawn, piqued, and disgusted with what is happening in our great party, despite the big promise of the “opposite” by the party.”
The people insist that they are not comfortable at all with the glaring injustice; hence, they demand that zoning and equity should be maintained in Oru West LGA with the people’s choice from the two aspirants from Oru North axis, who purchased forms and campaigned vigorously in the LGA.
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