Ikechi Uche
High Chief Ikechi Emenike was on Thursday declared winner of the factional All Progressive Congress, APC governorship primaries held at Old Chidiebere park Umuahia.
Announcing the result, the chairman of APC governorship electoral committee for Abia State, Tony Obiefuna said Emenike polled a total of 672 votes to defeat other aspirants.
Obiefuna said out of 892 valid votes cast,
15 was invalid, Uche Ogah got 6 votes, Dan Eke 16 votes, Dr Alex Otti 14 votes, Hon Emeka Atuma 150 votes, Obinna Oriaku 12 votes and Prince Paul Ikonne 23 votes.
In his acceptance speech, High Chief Ikechi Emenike said his main objective is to save and develop Abia State.
Emenike added that they will not be deterred by detractors especially internal detractors, adding that the battle is not yet over and called on all to join hands in developing Abia State.
On his part, the state chairman of APC, Kingsley Onunaogbu said they used direct primaries method as directed by their national body. The Ikechi Emenike camp also gave newsmen court order that restored his purported suspension.
However, in another exercise, former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah emerged a factional Governorship candidate of All Progressive Congress, APC in Abia State.
Dr Ogah according to the APC governorship primaries returning officer, Barrister Perfect Okorie, at APC factional secretariat Azikiwe road Umuahia, said the total votes cast was 195, 801, while they adopted direct primaries as stipulated by the national leadership of the party.
He announced that Ogah polled a total of 141, 952 votes to secure the the party’s governorship ticket.
Barrister Okorie disclosed that Dr Alex Otti got 2,144 votes, Paul Ikonne 27, 054 votes, Emeka Atuma 7, 429 votes, Ikechi Emenike 9, 446 votes, Obinna Oriaku 5,553 votes and Daniel Eke 1, 953 votes.
In his acceptance speech, the former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah appreciated God, party leaders, supporters and everyone who worked from early hours of Thursday to ensure that the exercise recorded a success.
While expressing satisfaction on the leadership of APC, Dr Uchechukwu Ogah maintained that the hierarchy of APC in Abuja directed that Abia adopt direct primaries, which they have fulfilled.
He described as jamboree the other faction of APC that decided to do otherwise. Ogah explained that the reason of chosen the direct primaries was to allow aspirants test their popularity and called on APC faithful to help build a formidable team.
He insisted that they must work together and cannot allow any body to truncate the future of Abians.
The former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development also extended his hands of fellowship to other aspirants to enable them work together to deliver Abia State.
Meanwhile, immediately Ikechi Emenike Emenike was announced winner, a High Court sitting in Umuahia on same Thursday disqualified him, as a gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of All Progressive Congress, insisting that he is not a member of the party.
Chinedum Nnoye, Ndem Chukwu and Lucky Uduma who are members and claimants in Suit No. HU/6/2022 of the party had earlier on Thursday approached the High Court to challenge the membership of Ikechi Emenike who is the first defendant, citing an earlier judgment which suspended the aspirant as a member of the party, and consequently rips him off the rights and privileges of membership according to the provisions and requirements of Article 21 of the 2014 of All Progressive Congress constitution (as amended).
Honorable Justice O. A Chijioke who upheld the suspension ordered that according to Article 9.3 of the 2014, All Progressive Congress of the 2014 of the All Progressive Congress Constitution (as amended), the second defendant which is the party itself breached the provision of its constitution by continuing to deal with, recognize and parade the first defendant while he is still on suspension, including recommending him for appointments to organizations, agencies and bodies to which is only entitled to lawful members.
The court upon that gave an injunction to the aspirant to stop parading himself as a member and aspirant under the platform of the party.
