Otti’s APGA candidacy a ruse, says Ufomba

THE display of the name of Dr Alex Otti by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) as the Abia State All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA) governorship candidate in the February election has been described as a ruse and temporary.

This is because Otti’s rival in the contest for the party ticket Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba who has been the leader and financier of the party in the state and had contested the state guber elections twice on APGA platform, at the weekend disowned Otti as a member of APGA.

Addressing a large number of party members from the 17 local councils and 184 wards in the state in his Umuogele country home in Isiala Ngwa yesterday , Ufomba recalled that he emerged from the duly convened party primaries overseen by the Acting National Chairman of APGA Chief Chris Ejike Uche who held office when the court sacked Chief Victor Umeh as the National Chairman.

He told his party members that he has not withdrawn from the guber contest but rather, that will flag off his campaign on Wednesday January 20, adding:

“ INEC does not decide candidates for political parties. The courts will soon determine the pending suits on the matter and when this is done, INEC will quickly comply.

In all these past years that I led APGA in Abia state, we never saw any member whose name was Alex Otti.”

High point of the meeting was the introduction of three APGA candidates in the February election : Hon Nze Esiaga, a former member of House of Representatives who is bidding for Abia Central senate seat, Mr Obinna Mgbeahuruike for Isuikwuato/Umunneochi seat in the House of Representatives and his counterpart for Isiala Ngwa North and South , Mr Nwaokike Stanley