Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in last Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu has dismissed the victory of the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof Chukwuma Soludo in the election.

Ukachukwu who briefed journalists in Awka said the election was riddled with intimidation, violence against his supporters, most of whom sustained injuries, lost homes and vehicles.

The candidates said he has started speaking with his supporters, and will also consult with party stakeholders and agents of his party across the state before making a categorical statement on his next move.

He said: “We thank members of our team, they are all gallant soldiers, they are all winners in different ways, including those who were intimidated in many ways, their cars burnt, houses burnt, even my deputy who was intimidated into running for her dear life when they threatened her. All these people are winners.

“I called you here to tell you that we are speaking with our agents and collating information about what happened on that day, and we will talk when the time is right.

“Some of my agents were abducted by Our opponents and kept until after the election, all these things are not worth talking about now. At this point we are still collating information both from our party agents and I have to consult my party to know what next.”

Ukachukwu said his supporter was abducted and kept until after the election, and money meant for payment of party agents was termed vote buying money.

“They arrested my supporter who was to pay our agents, saying he was carrying money meant for vote buying. Can I buy votes against a sitting governor who has the treasury of the state? The result of the election will show you who bought vote. If I bought vote, it would have reflected on the number of votes that I got.

“Go and check, all the people they arrested were APC people. Go and see the young lady whose house was burnt in Anambra East, her only crime is that she believed in our party and canvases for our victory.

“But for me to have 99,000 genuine votes is even unprecedented. Those are people who voted because Anambra must go forward. The number of votes I got is even enough to tell them that APC can no longer be ignored in Anambra.

“Those 99,000 people are the people who voted for us, they are part of those I will consult about our next move. Those are people who believe Anambra must be better. Our agents who we couldn’t pay because they kidnapped my supporter, yet they stood their ground and worked for us.

“Today, they cannot say that APC is not in existence in Anambra because 99,000 is not a small number.”

Former Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose met with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Sunday.

Fayose, who arrived at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, was received by aides of the former president before proceeding to Obasanjo’s private residence, where a closed-door meeting took place.

Although the details of their discussions were not disclosed, sources close to the meeting described it as “a private visit” that lasted over an hour.

Ahead of upcoming political realignments, the former Ekiti governor, known for his outspoken political style and criticism of national authorities, has recently called for unity among southern political actors.

However, his meeting with Obasanjo has sparked political speculation at a time when national reconciliation efforts and the future of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are gaining momentum.

…says we can’t allow impunity overshadow us

The crisis in the PDP deepened on Saturday as a faction of the party loyal to Wike announced the suspension of its National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has weighed in on the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying the issue of impunity cannot be allowed to continue.

The crisis in the PDP deepened on Saturday as a faction of the party loyal to Wike announced the suspension of its National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

The faction is led by Samuel Anyanwu, the embattled national secretary, who was suspended earlier on Saturday by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) after an emergency meeting.

A few hours after his suspension, Anyanwu organised a press briefing where he announced the suspension of Damagum and five other members of the NWC.

Others suspended by the faction were; Debo Ologunagba, the party’s spokesperson, Taofeek Arapaja, deputy national vice chairman (South), Daniel Woyenguikoro, national financial secretary, Sulaiman Kadade, national youth leader, and Setonji Koshoedo, deputy national secretary.

Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, supported the suspension of the PDP National Chairman.

“We cannot continue to allow impunity,” Wike said.
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He also criticized governor for failing to use the funds at their disposal for the development of their respective states.

Although he didn’t mention any particular state, the minister claimed some governors were using state funds to fuel crisis in the PDP, a party he said has made them who they were.

“I have The problem we are having today in the PDP is that the kind of money in the hands of the governors is so much. I praised the President for allowing so much money in the hands of states which has never happened.

“But I was thinking this money should be put in the development of our states, not to use the money to scatter a party that has built you, that has given you name today, where are we?” he stated.