Anambra Guber: Soludo Clinches APGA Ticket Amid Party’s Factional Crisis

A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has been declared as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), on Wednesday.

Soludo scored 740 votes to emerge victorious in the keenly contested Anambra governorship primary election of the APGA.

Other candidates who contested in the election include; Ezenwankwo Christopher who polled 41 votes, ThankGod Ibe who had 4 votes, and Okolo Chibuzor who got seven votes.

The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano was among APGA’s topshots present at the primary.

Reacting to the victory, the former CBN boss appreciated his party members for voting him as the flagbearer in the upcoming gubernatorial election. He also praised the administration of Obiano, describing him as one of the best governors in the country.

“Anambra is doing well under Obiano and my mission is to continue and complete all the legacy projects of the governor,” he said.

This development is coming after the suspension of Soludo by the Chief Jude Okeke-led National Working Committee(NWC), on Wednesday.

This was announced by the faction’s acting National Publicity Secretary, Ikechukwu Chukwunyere.

Chukwunyere who was addressing a press conference stated that the decision to suspend Soludo was reached at a party meeting which held on Tuesday evening.

According to him, Soludo was suspended because of an alleged anti-party activities.

Recall that the suspension is coming a day after the Okeke-led NWC of the party had expressed fears that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) might disqualify the party from the Anambra governorship election which is scheduled for November 6.

According to Okeke, Victor Oye-led faction of the party allegedly refused to submit the statutory 21 days notice on the Special Ward Congress organised by the party to INEC.

Chukwunyere, who spoke on behalf of Okeke said that Oye faction did not duly notify INEC on the plan to hold ward congresses ahead of the governorship poll within the 21 days recommended by its regulations and Section 85 of the Electoral Act.