APC Guber Primary: Aspirant, State Govt. Raises Alarm over Plan to Scuttle Primary Election

FROM OUT POLITICAL DESK (ABAKALIKI)
Both the state government and campaign organization of the former Chairman of Revenue Mobilization and Governorship candidate of All Progressive Congress APC in Ebonyi state , Chief Elias Mbam yesterday called on the National leadership of the party to take note of the plan by the Ebonyi state government to scuttle today’s Governorship primary by hiring thugs to disrupt the process.

In a statement signed by Engr Paul Okorie on behalf of the campaign organization in which 247thirdeye.com obtained a copy in Abakaliki, the Campaign organization accused the state government of procuring armed thugs from Enugu, Abia, Cross River, and the Rivers States respectively to disrupt today’s primary to favour government preferred candidate, calling on security agents to ensure the safety of Engr. Elias Mbam, other aspirants, their supporters, party faithful, and delegates.

The campaign organization further accused the state government of taking the All Progressives Congress to the Federal High Court Abakaliki, through, Barr. Roy Umahi, who is also the state retainer and the governor’s immediate elder brother, scuttle the scheduled gubernatorial primary in Ebonyi, against the lay down rules of the party.

The statement reads “It has come to the knowledge of the Destiny 2023 Campaign Council, the campaign organization of Engr. Elias Mbam, of the plans by the state government to scuttle the gubernatorial primary election in Ebonyi State scheduled to hold tomorrow, Thursday 26th May 2022 by agents of Ebonyi State government”.

“You will recall that the governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi endorsed the embattled Speaker of the Statee House of Assembly as his preferred gubernatorial aspirant against the wishes of the generality of Ebonyians and the party”.

“Credible intelligence available to us alleges that agents of Ebonyi state government and those working for the embattled Speaker have procured armed thugs from Enugu, Abia, Cross River, and the Rivers States, some of which are already in the state, in liaison with his local vigilante (Ebubeagu Security Network) with the plan to attack and cause mayhem at the venue”.

“We, therefore, call on the National Chairman and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to take note of the antics of Governor David Umahi and his desperate efforts to destroy our party in Ebonyi which may cause the PDP to have an easy win come 2023”.  

“We plead with the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Security Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, and the Nigeria Military to take notice and ensure that the life and safety of Engr. Elias Mbam, other aspirants, their supporters, party faithful, and delegates are guaranteed and protected”. 

Reacting in a telephone call, the State Chairman of the APC in the State, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, debunked the allegations and described them as unfounded.

The Chairman alleged that Mbam was plotting to set the stage on fire, but assured that the State government would not allow anybody, no matter his highly placed to destroy the existing  peace in the State.

He said, “How can the Ebonyi State government import thugs? Elias Mbam went and mobilized senseless thugs from different parts of the country, he wants to set this State on fire but God will not allow him. 

“I remember him in my prayer because he is a member of the APC and we can’t afford to lose somebody like him, but at the same time, we won’t allow him to destroy our party. It’s impossible. 

“How can we bring thugs from outside the state, a seating government? What is it that we don’t have? One good assurance I want to give to Elias Mbam is that those thugs he brought into the state will not go unpunished. 
“So, by tomorrow, we shall know the people that brought thugs.”

Also reacting, Governor’s elder brother, Barrister Roy Umahi, denied having a hand in the alleged plot to scuttle the APC primaries in Ebonyi State. 

“Tell him to prove what he is saying. I’m not a politician, let them face their profession. I have no interest in interfering in their affairs”. He said.