Citypost News Desk
Two frontline aspirants of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) seeking the party’s ticket for the upcoming Anambra South Senatorial District by-election have reportedly entered into covert negotiations with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), amid ongoing uncertainties in APGA’s nomination process.
According to findings by veteran journalist Okey Maduforo, the secret meetings are being fueled by Governor Charles Soludo’s delay in naming a consensus candidate for the by-election. Despite three rounds of conclave-style primaries reportedly convened at the governor’s instance, no official flagbearer has emerged.
It was gathered that Chief Ebuka Onunkwo topped the preference list among delegates, emerging as the most popular aspirant in the primaries. This outcome appears to have triggered discontent among other leading contenders, prompting two of them to discreetly approach the ADC with a view to switching parties.
During an exclusive interaction, Ichie Christian Chukwueke, who was privy to both meetings confirmed that the aggrieved aspirants sent representatives to negotiate possible defection and integration into the ADC. He revealed that one of the aspirants expressed confidence that his political structure would not only help ADC clinch victory in the by-election but also serve as a strategic asset in the next gubernatorial race.
“One of the two aspirants told us that with his structure out of APGA, it would be impossible for Soludo and those left in the party to win the by-election,” Chukwueke said. “The other aspirant lamented that despite his efforts in Soludo’s first-term election, the governor has chosen to repay him by denying him the consensus ticket.”
Chukwueke, however, declined to reveal the identities of the two aspirants but described them as major players in Anambra South politics. He added that the ADC’s State Working Committee (SWC) and State Executive Committee (SEC) are still reviewing the proposals put forward by the defecting aspirants.
Meanwhile, when contacted for comment, the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, simply stated: “No comment.”
Governor Soludo, during a previous APGA stakeholders’ meeting, had issued a stern warning to discontented aspirants, advising that anyone dissatisfied with the party’s decision was free to leave and meet him at the polls.
With the by-election drawing closer, the unfolding drama hints at a possible realignment of political forces in Anambra South, as the ADC increasingly positions itself as a formidable alternative.
