By Eleugu Mgbemgasa
The members of APC have kicked against the imposition of purported Candidates in Oru West LGA Chairmanships and Ward Councillorships in the forthcoming Imo Council Elections in Imo State, in the person of Engr. Ikenna Adikibe, as Local Government “Chairmanship Candidate”.
The members of the APC said that they were not satisfied with the person imposed on them as the elected “Chairmanship and Councillorship Candidates” of the Party in Oru West in the coming Council Polls as they are not the choice of the entire people of Oru West who want to be governed by pragmatic, visionary and accessible leaders who will efficiently work to meet their needs and interests in accordance to democratic ethos and the Shared Prosperity Government Agenda.
In a statement issued to the media in Owerri on Wednesday, a Chieftain of APC in Oru West, Mr. Stanley Ugwumadu, said that members of the Party in the Area are in support of APC 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 therein as the people are quite agitated about the anomaly.
Ugwumadu noted that; considering the two political divides (zones) in the local government, with Oru North and Oru West Zones, 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 and 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 super Commissioners, 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, by ignoring the 9 other Wards of the LGA.
The APC stalwart wondered why a Seating 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 “Candidate” of the APC, saying such anomaly was quite unconstitutional, vexatious and undemocratic.
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”.
“Really, 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 Candidacy Primary, where Mgbidi, after Pocketing Oru West House of Assembly Seat, two Commissioners, the Sole Administrator is being announced as being favoured again as the APC flag bearer in Oru West LGA Chairmanship Seat for the forthcoming Imo State LG Elections. 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 Clamored Consensus Candidacy Within APC?
“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?” Ugwumadu queried.
“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.
“We Are Not Comfortable at all with the glaring INJUSTICE, hence we demand that zoning equity 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”, the APC Chieftain maintained.
