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Tag: Ebonyi

  • Fresh Primary: Eleje emerges APGA candidate for Ebonyi South senatorial seat

    Fresh Primary: Eleje emerges APGA candidate for Ebonyi South senatorial seat

    The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Ebonyi chapter has conducted a fresh primary election for the replacement of Mrs Blessing Egbed, who withdrew from the race for Ebonyi South senatorial seat in 2023 polls.

    Egbed is now replaced by Mr Ifeanyi Eleje, who is currently the President, Government Secondary School, Afikpo, Old Boys Association Worldwide.

    Newsmen reports that Egbed, who was elected candidate for the position earlier on May, voluntarily withdrew from the race in the party.

    “My withdrawal from the race was to enable the party to balance the power equation to accommodate other parts of the state to ensure victory at the polls,” Egbed said.

    Mr Benard Odoh, APGA Gubernatorial candidate in the state, while addressing newsmen described the new primary election as a welcome development in the efforts to move the party forward in Ebonyi.

    “The conduct has gone smoothly, no cumbersome process because we were not in contention but for replacement. Somebody has withdrawn and somebody is being replaced.

    “We have two other persons who have also withdrawn and two people, who will replace them but we will respect their privacy at the edge and allow the party to do the needful.

    “The key most important is that we have successively received the letters of those who have withdrawn and the party will be communicated accordingly.

    The State Chairman of the party, Mr Ricky Okorouka, said the primary election was a directive from the superior authorities from the party and INEC.

    Okorouka hailed the conduct and urged party faithful to uphold the principles and ideology of APGA to win all positions in 2023..

    Eleje, also commended the leadership of the party and expressed happiness for choosing him for the replacement for the zone.

  • 2023: Ebonyi APGA to hold another primary elections July 12

    2023: Ebonyi APGA to hold another primary elections July 12

    The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi has fixed Tuesday, July 12 for the conduct of another round of primary elections, to replace candidates who left the party ahead of the 2023 general polls.

    Ebonyi Chairman of APGA, Mr Ricky Okorouka, told newsmen on Sunday in Abakaliki that candidates would be vying for seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives, among other positions.

    “The elections will hold at the various secretariats of the party in the state.

    “ We have asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the exercise,“ he said.

    Okorouka urged members to be steadfast and uphold party principles and ideology.

    “We intend to replicate the Anambra experience in Ebonyi having chosen a formidable candidate for the 2023 governorship race,” he said.

  • APGA threatens to boycott Ebonyi LGA’s poll over exorbitant fees

    APGA threatens to boycott Ebonyi LGA’s poll over exorbitant fees

    The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi, has lamented over the cost of nomination fees in the forthcoming local government elections in the state.

    The party threatened to boycott the elections unless the cost of nomination fees is reduced, while demanding that the State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) shift the date of the election if they were to participate.

    The State Chairman of the party, Mr Ricky Okorouka said this in Abakaliki while addressing newsmen after the party’s State Executive Meetings (SEC) on Sunday.

    EBSIEC had fixed nomination fee for  Chairmanship and councillor positions for N1 million and N200, 000 respectively.

    The Commission had also announced July 30 for the local government elections in the state.

    Okorouka said his party had decided not to be part of the election unless the fees were reduced.

    “So, if EBSIEC wants us to be part of the elections, it should extend the date and remove the nomination fee so far imposed and that is our position.

    “They should not use exorbitant fees to disfranchise political parties in Ebonyi LGA polls.

    “We had our Executive Meetings, where we involved all the candidates for the 2023 general elections and we deliberated on the forthcoming local government elections in the state.

    “Our party, APGA has decided that we may not be part of the election unless the N1 million nomination form fee for chairman’s and N200,000 for councillor’s positions imposed by EBSIEC are reduced.

    “We also want the date for the election to be shifted,” he added.

    Mr Jossy Eze, Chairman of EBSIEC while reacting, said the decision on the nomination fees and election date were made and decided by all the political parties in the state,  where APGA was represented.

    Eze said any complaints on the council elections should be directed to the  Commission rather than making comments to distract the process.

  • Police invade suspected IPOB/ESN hideout in Ebonyi, Kill 1

    Police invade suspected IPOB/ESN hideout in Ebonyi, Kill 1

    The Police Command in Ebonyi says it has raided the Indigenous People of Biafra/ Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN) suspected camp, killed one, and arrested another.

    The command’s Spokesman, SP Chris Anyanwu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abakiliki and made available to newsmen on Friday.

    Anyanwu stated that the operation was carried out by the tactical team of the command, led by SP Jerry Maigorosom.

    He stated that the camp was located at Oriuzor Village in Ezza North Local Government Area (LGA).

    “At about 1435hrs of June 30, the tactical team of the command stormed the camp of suspected IPOB adherents at Oriuzor Village through a credible intelligence at the disposal of the command.

    “On sighting the operatives, the hoodlums opened fire on them, leading to a gun duel.

    “In the process, one of the hoodlums, identified as Elijah, was fatally wounded, while six others escaped with gunshot injuries.

    “Fortunately, one of them, Chibundu Ali, 18, a native of Ezzama, Ezza East Development Centre was arrested and taken into custody.

    He is being interrogated to unravel the identity of other fleeing suspects,” Anyanwu stated.

    He added that the camp was ransacked and destroyed and some items recovered.

    According to the statement, the items included one cut-to-size AK47 rifle with a few rounds of its live ammunition.

    Others were locally-fabricated revolver pistol and expanded ammunition shell, amongst others.

    It alleged that the items were stolen during an attack on a Divisional Police Station in Ezza South LGA.

    It added that operatives attached to the Ohaozara Divisional Station also nabbed an armed robbery syndicate, which allegedly specialised in snatching of vehicles and motorcycles from Enugu and other neighboring states.

    It stated that three suspects, including a lady and Ebubeagu personnel, were rounded up at Uburu in Ohaozara LGA, while negotiating the sale of one of the stolen motorcycles.

  • 2023: Court nullifies rescheduled Ebonyi PDP’s primaries, declares Odii guber candidate

    The Federal High Court in Ebonyi has nullified the rescheduled People Democratic Party’s (PDP), primaries in Ebonyi and declared Dr. Ifeanyi-Chukwuma Odii as the authentic gubernatorial candidate of the party for the 2023 polls.

    The party rescheduled and conducted a fresh primary on June 4 and 5 after its Initial primaries in Ebonyi on May 28 and 29 that elected Odii a governorship candidate.

    The Court ruled that the primary elections that produced Sen. Obinna Ogba and other candidates were illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void.

    The Presiding Judge, Justice Fatun Riman said the repeated primaries in the state on June 4 and 5 were not monitored by the Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    According to Riman, the rescheduled PDP primaries in Ebonyi is null and void.

    “One, the rescheduled primaries was conducted when the suit filed on May 30 was already pending in the court.

    “The primaries was not monitored by INEC, therefore, the rescheduled exercise of June 4 and 5, that elected Senator Obinna Ogba as another gubernatorial candidate and others are hereby nullified,” the Judge stated.

    Mr Mudi Erhenede, Counsel for Odii, popularly known as Anyichuks thanked the court for the judgement.

    According to Erhenede, the ruling has interpreted the constitution of the party.

    “Selfish individual or group interests will by no means supersede the party’s interest. Good thing is that Justice has been done over the matter.

    Efforts to reach the Counsel of Sen Ogba were abortive as they left the court earlier before the judgment.

  • Sen. Ogba wins rescheduled Ebonyi PDP guber primary

    Sen. Obinna Ogba, representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, has won the rescheduled governorship primary election of the Ebonyi Chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The election was held on Sunday at the party’s secretariat in Abakaliki.

    The accreditation of delegates and voting began around 8 p.m. on Sunday spilled over into the early hours of Monday.

    Five hundred and thirteen delegates from the 171 wards of the 13 LGAs of the state took part in the primary election.

    Chief Chris Okolo, Chairman of the Electoral Panel, said that Ogba polled 253 votes to emerge the winner.

    According to him, Chief Edwin Nwonu, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ishielu/Ezza North Federal Constituency came second with 110 votes and Dr Sylvester Ogbaga, another member of the House of Representatives, came third with 63 votes.

    Mr Fidelis Nwankwo garnered 44 votes; Chief Chukwuma Nwazunku, representing Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency polled six votes and Chief Austin Edeze secured three votes.

    Sen. Paulinus Igwenwagu got two votes and Mr Augustine Nwazunku secured one vote.

    Chief Ifeanyochukwu Odii, who boycotted the polls got one vote, while Mr Chris Usulor and Dr Sunday Opoke abstained.

    The electoral chair said that 14 invalid ballots were recorded.

    “I, Mr Chris Okolo, having been conferred with the power to chair this panel hereby declare Sen. Obinna Ogba winner having polled the total highest number of valid votes and having met all the requirements for the election and he is hereby returned elected.

    “The exercise was counted openly and witnessed by agents of the aspirants, leaders of the party present, as well as security agents,” Okolo said.

    Meanwhile, Ogba, in his acceptance speech, extended his hand of fellowship to the other contestants and declared his victory as “victory for the PDP“.

    He thanked the delegates, party members and leaders of PDP for entrusting him with their mandate to fly the party’s flag in the state governorship election in 2023.

    He said: “I feel very happy, I thank the Almighty God who made the event very successful; I thank all our party members for finding me worthy to fly the flag of our great party, the PDP.

    “To my fellow contestants, I extend my hand of fellowship to them; this is a sport and one person must win and I call on them to come and join me so that we can take our party to the highest level.“

    “Chief Tochukwu Okorie, PDP Chair, in a brief remark commended the party delegates for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the exercise.

    He also commended the electoral panel for conducting a seamless, peaceful, transparent and credible exercise urging those who lost to team up to ensure victory for the party at the 2023 general elections.

    Recall that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP had in a letter dated May 31 addressed to the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled earlier primaries of the party in Ebonyi, including the gubernatorial.

    The primary conducted between May 28 and May 29 by a faction led by Mr Silas Onu and which elected Odii as the governorship candidate was, however, boycotted by the Okorie faction.

  • Ebonyi PDP: Factional group says they wont be part of rescheduled primaries

    Ebonyi PDP: Factional group says they wont be part of rescheduled primaries

    Candidates of factional PDP, elected in the party’s primary elections between May 28 and 29 from Mr Silas Onu-led side, said they would not be part of any fresh primaries in Ebonyi.

    The group made their position known at a news conference on Thursday in Abakaliki.

    They, therefore, appealed to the relevant organs of the party including the National Executive Committee (NEC), National Working Committee (NWC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the party’s Presidential flagbearer, to intervene to save the party from looming crisis.

    Mr Lazarus Ogbe, spokesperson for the group and senatorial candidate for the Ebonyi Central, noted that participating in any rescheduled party primaries in Ebonyi meant encouraging illegality and unconstitutionality.

    He said under the law, political parties were not allowed to produce two candidates for a particular elective position in a given constituency.

    According to the group, the PDP primary elections conducted in Ebonyi that produced the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives, senatorial and governorship candidates met all requirements of the Electoral Act and party guidelines for the primaries.

    He said that the the primary elections were credible, transparent, free, fair and remained authentic since the exercises were monitored and observed by relevant authorities, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the media.

    The group which vowed to boycott any other rescheduled party primaries, said their participation would amount to breaking the law .

    “If you see your brother or leader breaking the law will you join him to break the law too?

     

  • Umahi’s younger brother wins APC’s senatorial ticket in Ebonyi

    Gov. David Umahi’s younger brother, Austin Umahi, has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for Ebonyi south senatorial zone of the state.

    Umahi, in the primaries held at the headquarters of Afikpo North Local Government Area on Saturday, polled 279 out of the 284 votes of accredited voters.

    The former National Vice Chairman, South East of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), before the governor’s defection to the APC, thus defeated Mrs Ann Agom-Eze who polled five votes.

    Chairman of the APC committee to the primary election, Alhaji Muhammad Usman, commended the delegates for their orderly conduct, noting that such atmosphere produced a credible exercise.

    Umahi in his remarks thanked God for the victory and the delegates for making the right choice.

    He said the party was well-rooted in the state and was poised to record landslide victory in the 2023 general elections.

  • PDP primaries: Anyim raises alarm over absence of Ebonyi delegates’ list

    PDP primaries: Anyim raises alarm over absence of Ebonyi delegates’ list

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Aspirant; Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim has expressed concern over absence of Ebonyi delegates’ list for the presidential primaries.

    Anyim stated this in an open letter dated May 27 and addressed to PDP National Chairman, Prof. Iyorchia Ayu, and Chairman of the PDP Special Convention, Sen. David Mark on Friday in Abuja.

    He said that he had gone through the list of delegates from states for the National Convention scheduled from May 28 to May 29 in Abuja, but could not find that of Ebonyi.

    Anyim said that in spite assurances by the party National Organising Secretary, the Ebonyi list was yet to be added, warning that the absence of Ebonyi delegates’ list would not augur well for the party.

    “The Chairman may recall that during the meeting of Presidential aspirants and the Special Convention Committee held on May 26 at the Legacy House that the entire delegates list for all the states were presented to each of the aspirants.

    “On examining the list, I discovered that the Ebonyi delegates list was not included. On inquiry from the National Organizing Secretary, he informed me that there was a technical error and it will be corrected today.

    “As at the time of writing this letter i.e. 12 noon Friday May 27, I have no clue about the fate of the delegates from Ebonyi.

    “The purpose of this letter is to alert all concerned that disenfranchising delegates from Ebonyi or any state for that matter will fundamentally affect the election,” he said.

  • APC aspirants petition Adamu over screening denial

    APC aspirants petition Adamu over screening denial

    Aggrieved House of Assembly aspirants in Ebonyi on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has petitioned Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, National Chairman of the party over alleged screening denial.

    Mr. Chukwuoji Igodo, leader of the group said at a press briefing on Sunday in Abakaliki that no fewer than 25 aspirants were allegedly denied screening by the screening committee.

    He added that every effort made by the aspirants to draw the attention of the state chairman of APC, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha to their plights proved unsuccessful.

    He further alleged that there was an orchestrated ploy by the state leadership of the party to deny some members opportunity to participate in the 2023 general elections.

    He explained that their ordeal started when the party announced sales of nomination and expression of interest forms for the House of Assembly.

    He alleged that the party denied selling nomination and expression of interest forms to them forcing them to purchase their forms in Abuja.

    He said: “The problem started when the party announced sales of forms for the House of Assembly and we approached the party to purchase our forms here in the state and they didn’t sell any form to us.

    “So, we approached Abuja and bought our forms from there which is allowed by the party rules, we filled our forms there and submitted.

    “We presented ourselves for the screening which was held on Saturday but nobody from the screening committee attended to us nor addressed us; till now we have not been screened and nobody is telling us anything.”

    He maintained that the party was not fair to the affected aspirants.

    “We have been told that they will only respond to the 24 aspirants the party sold the forms to which is very unfair to us.

    “We are saying that the chairman is allowing himself to a particular set of people in the party instead of being the chairman for everybody.

    “We also want the world to know that the party in Ebonyi is sabotaging the efforts of the national leadership and it’s a great betrayal to some of us that have protected and promoted the government.

    “We, therefore appeal to the national secretariat to listen to us and send a special screening panel to screen us; send screening panel for the primaries and also send a special panel for the local government congresses that will soon hold.”

    The aspirants condemned the outrageous fees demanded for the screening of aspirants in the state which they noted were not part of the party’s requirements for the screening exercise.

    “For some of us, we are told that we have to pay N200, 000 as internally generated revenue; N200, 000 for local government clearance, and another N500, 000 for state clearance; this is aside from the N2million the party charges for her form.

    “And we are saying that these fees are not part of the checklists the party gave to us at the purchase of our forms; we are saying that the national leadership should look into what is happening in Ebonyi,” Igodo said.

    The aspirants said the development could lead to crisis that might affect the party’s chances in the 2023 general elections.

    The group, therefore, called on the national leadership to urgently intervene to stave off the looming crisis in Ebonyi APC.

    Meanwhile, Okoro-Emegha in a swift reaction, said that the screening committee was yet to be inaugurated by the national secretariat.

    “The screening committee is yet to be inaugurated hence the screening exercise could not commence in Ebonyi as scheduled,” Okoro-Emegha said.

    He added that the party believed in equity, fairness, and justice saying that the party would not deny genuine aspirants from being screened.

    He urged the aspirants to work with the party in unity to achieve victory in the coming elections.

    “Instead of creating problems and causing disunity in the party, they should rather become agents of unity and work to make our party achieve victory in 2023.

    NAN