Ebonyi Senatorial Seat: “We Don’t Want Umahi”, Say Protesters To National Chairman

By Adesina Soyooye

Hundreds of protesters from the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ebonyi State, on Friday, grounded activities at the National Headquarters of the Party in Abuja.

They went to protest what they saw as a brazen injustice against one of them, Princess Ann Agom-Eze. They allege that the State Governor, Dave Umahi, inexplicably, want to take away the Senatorial ticket, already won by Agom-Eze. They warned the National Chairman of the Party of the consequences of such a move and told him to intervene in the Ebonyi South Senatorial seat crisis, and do the right thing.

In the petition  to the APC National Working Committee (NWC), they  expressed disappointment over the what has now become the contentious Ebonyi South Senatorial zone ticket and warned

APC leadership of the danger inherent in taking  sides with Governor Umahi.

Their petition, which traced the genesis of the crisis reads in part:

“We the concerned members of APC Ebonyi South Senatorial zone hereby protest the attempt geared towards the emergence of Governor David Umahi as the Senatorial candidate for the Ebonyi South Senatorial Districts negating the electoral process that is the Electoral Act INEC guidelines and the internal APC constitution as a party.

“Agom-Eze is an old APC member who has laboured for the party. She bought her first party Senatorial nomination form in 2018, stood for primary, but did not win, ahead of the 2019 general elections. She has been very faithful, helpful to all matters as it concerns APC as a party.

“In 2022, Agom-Eze followed all the party’s guidelines in purchasing the expression of interest and nomination forms for the Ebonyi South Senatorial zone. She was screened and remained eligible for the Ebonyi South Senatorial primary election. She contested and came second to Austin Umahi Nweze, the placeholder (the immediate young brother to the governor).

“Upon withdrawing from the race, he was immediately rewarded with a federal government appointment as the Executive Secretary to Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, and we are all aware that the Governor had asked him to withdraw from the Senatorial race to enable him to represent our zone since he did not win the APC presidential primary election.

We from Ebonyi South Senatorial zone cry for a more competent and quality representation and a woman participating actively in politics today. Chairman, in your magnanimity, you gave women free nominations to help bridge the gap in women representation at the National Assembly.

“You encouraged the women, notwithstanding the difficult terrain of our politics. Agom-Eze was able to navigate effectively in this period.

“Perhaps, should the situation in Ebonyi South Senatorial zone be allowed to stand, it will definitely cause a high level of disaffection within the party and the electorate within the Ebonyi South Senatorial Districts of the state.