Aggrieved Imo governorship aspirants under the aegis of New All Progressives Grand Alliance, N-APGA, and supporters,Thursday, staged a peaceful protest, demanding the cancellation of purported gubernatorial primary election which produced Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as flagbearer of the party in the state for the upcoming 2019 general election.
The protesting N-APGA members marched towards major streets in Owerri, the state capital, with banners and placards bearing different inscriptions.
The aggrieved aspirants who led the protest included, Frank Nneji, chairman of ABC Transport limited, Chief Uche Onyeaguocha, Sam Amadi, former Chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and Chief Ike Ibe.
Addressing newsmen during the protest in Owerri, Chief Uche Onyeaguocha condemned the declaration of Araraume as governorship candidate of APGA.
He claimed that there was no primaries, saying the purported imposition of Araraume on APGA members in the state was unacceptable.
Onyeaguocha said,” Gentlemen of the press, as you know, the APGA governorship primaries slated on Oct 5th, 2018 did not hold. There was no accreditation or any other activity related to the conduct of that primary election in Imo state.
“Any claim by any one that primaries was held in imo state for the election of the governorship flag bearer for APGA is false. Again, any report that the aspirants stepped down for any candidate is a pure falsehood.
“We, the aspirants resolved that the governorship candidate of APGA in Imo state must emerge through transparent process. We also resolved that the party’s stakeholders in Imo state can no longer be slaves to political courses outside the state, who considered Imo state as market for their own economic fortunes.
“We have decided to fight for the right of imo people and APGA members in imo, pertaining to their fortunes. The failure by the National leadership of the party to guarantee credible primary election for Imo state APGA is a terrible disappointment”.
