Ruth Oginyi
Some candidates of the All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi state have withdrawn from their race to pave way for more formidable candidates to take over the positions.
This was made known to journalists on Tuesday at the party secretariat along the Enugu Abakaliki expressway by the party chairman.
Mrs. Blessing Egbedi who was contesting for the Senatorial position for the Ebonyi South zone is among those that withdraw from the 2023 race.
Professor Benard Odo the governorship candidate of APGA in the upcoming general election told journalists that other aspirants withdraw from the race but explained that the party decided to respect their privacy.
According to Odo, the exercise was not in contention but as a replacement as there is no need to have a vacuum in the process.
“The party conducted its primaries in May 2022 in line with the constitutional provision, some candidates who have decided on their own to withdraw from the race sent a withdrawal letter to the party and their letters have been received.
“The party has also informed INEC to come and witness the basic process of today. INEC received the letter on the 4th of June, we were just informed that because of the holiday they were not able to send their staff here today.
“We have interfaced with them at their national office and we were instructed on what to do.
It is not a cumbersome process we are not in contention but a replacement. Somebody has withdrawn and somebody is being replaced.
“So the state office here will do a formal communication to the National office and now translate those who are being used to do the replacement.
“We had Mrs. Blessing Egbedi who was running for the Senatorial position for the Southern zone of the state, she has withdrawn from the race and allowed the party to choose someone whom the party has deemed feet and credible to replace her in the person of Chief Ifeanyi Eleje.
“We have two other persons who have also withdrawn and we have two people who will replace them but we will respect their privacy at the edge and allow the party to do the needful.
“But the key most important is that we have successively received the letters of those who have withdrawn and the party will be communicated accordingly”.
Ebonyi state APGA chairman, Riky Okoro Ukah in his submission said the development in the party shall be communicated to the national level who will write to INEC for the replacement of the withdrawn candidates.
“We have communicated with INEC following the letter by our headquarters.
but because of the public holidays, the INEC was not able to be here.
“We have gotten directives from the superior authorities on how best to go about it.
“The party’s National leadership has also instructed us on what to do, to do the needful on the state level, and then send it across to the National body who will now upload it to the INEC portal.
Appreciating the party, Chief Ifeanyi Eleje the fresh candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone called for formidable unity in the party so that they can win the elections
” APGA is our own, if there is anything we need to do to fortify our area we must do it from APGA”.
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