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The aspirants were furious on what they construe as 'the dubious' role played by Governor Okorocha, who was meeting the aspirants individually to informing them that others have stepped down and that they should follow suit. They said that APC must conduct primaries for in Anambra, and if they lose they will accept the result and will not tolerate any imposition by anyone or group.
Chief Annie Okonkwo, the South-East interim Deputy Chairman of APC and one of the popular candidates was forced to step down with a promise of a guaranteed senatorial seat.
Hope For Nigeria learnt that APC has branded the governorship election in Anambra as 'highly important and a test case of their acceptability in the South East".
Chief Godwin Ezeemo, one of the aspirants described the selection of Ngige as the wishful thinking of Okorocha.
He said the Imo governor would not be allowed to become an overlord in an election that concerns people of Anambra State.
His words: “Governor Rochas Okorocha is not from Anambra State and he would not be allowed to become an overlord in an exercise that is for the people of Anambra State.
“As far as I am concerned, the announcement of Senator Ngige as the consensus candidate of the APC in Anambra is complete falsehood. It is merely the wishful thinking of one man in the person of Rochas Okorocha,” he said.
Ezeemo added that INEC does not recognise consensus arrangements, insisting that there must be primaries for the aspirants running on the platform of the APC in Anambra State.
"Leaders of the party had all agreed that there must be a level playing field for all the aspirants and maintained that nothing short of primaries would be accepted by his teeming supporters.
“When did Rochas Okorocha become a native of Anambra State and somebody that would now dictate what happens to people of the state. We are going to resist any imposition in the coming election because that is not what the constitution says.”
The hijack of the proposed primaries, according to party sources to Hope For Nigeria is that Ezeemo has already perfected plans to win, as he has the support of the 64-member SEC (22 elected state officers, 21 LG Chairmen and 21 ex-officio members ,representing each of the LGAs) in Anambra State
The National leadership of APC are thrown into confusion as many of them are not even aware of this make-shift arrangement that happened in Abuja and have decided to avoid making public statements.