The Anambra State Chapter of the All Progressives Cogress, APC, says it has not congratulated anybody as the winner of the November 6, 2021, Governorship election held in the State.
The party has, therefore, sacked its Publicity Secretary, Okelo Madukaife for congratulating the Governor-elect, Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
Soludo was declared winner of the election by the National Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, after he won in 19 out of the State’s 21 Local Government Areas, beating the APC candidate, Senator Andy Uba, and 16 others, by a wide margin. Uba came a distant third.
A number of Soludo’s co-contestants have congratulated Soludo, and so have a number of APC high profile members.
The now sacked Publicity Secretary congratulated Soludo on National Television. That angered the Anambra APC which sacked him from his position, and expelled him from the party.
Addressing a Press conference in Awka on Sunday, the State Chairman of the APC, Chief Basil Ejidike, said Madukaife had nobody’s authority to congratulate Soludo. He revealed that Madukaife has been, since June, suspended as the Publicity Secretary of the Party and, therefore, not in a position to speak for the party.
“Ejidike: “Okelo was suspended in June this year. We were surprised that he has continued to parade himself as the Publicity Secretary of the party.
“On behalf of APC Anambra State, we wish to clearly State that Okelo Madukaife is no longer a member of our party, and so can’t be, or function as the Publicity Secretary of our party in the State.
“Anybody dealing with him as a member of APC, or Publicity Secretary of the party, is doing so at their own risk.
“We wish to State categorically that as far as Anambra Governorship poll is concerned, we have not congratulated anybody.”
Not a few people wonder why the party took an exception to Madukaife’s action when a number of Anambra APC high profile members, including the Minister for Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngjge, Senator Stella Oduah, and Chief George Moghalu have congratulated Soludo on his victory.
However, the APC candidate, Andy Uba, faulted the election, and says he is challenging the outcome in Court.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has expressed profound joy over the milestone which Prof. Kenneth Amaeshi, the first Nigerian scholar to be appointed a professor at the 438 year old University of Edinburgh has achieved.
The Governor said Amaeshi is Nigeria’s gift to the world.
Governor Uzodimma said with Prof. Amaeshi’s recent appointment as a Professor of Sustainable Finance and Governance at the prestigious European University Institute in Florence, Italy, he has even raised Nigerian flag of competence higher, and made Imo State proud.
In a statement personally signed by Governor Uzodimma on Sunday, November 14, 2021, he said that Prof. Amaeshi represents one of the best Imo State in particular and Nigeria at large can offer to the global community.
He said his family and the people of Imo State are proud to identify with Prof. Amaeshi’s resilience and unwavering spirit of industry which he said are rare qualities of the Imo indigenes.
The Governor wrote: “Our son and brother, Professor Kenneth Amaeshi, made history when he became the first Black African Professor at the 438 year old University of Edinburgh.
“He also raised the flag of Nigeria high with his recent appointment as a Professor of Sustainable Finance and Governance at the prestigious European University Institute,in Florence, Italy. Indeed, he is the first Nigerian to hold that position in the University.
“I am most excited with the glowing achievements of Professor Kenneth Amaeshi. You have made your country, Nigeria, and your home State, Imo, very proud indeed.
“As a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, UK, an external examiner at Oxford University and an extraordinary Professor of Business in Africa at the Graduate School of business, University of Cape Town, South Africa, our son and brother, Professor Amaeshi, represents the best Nigeria, nay, Africa, can offer to the world.
“I am proud that this global scholar of repute whose charisma and cerebral fecundity are being celebrated worldwide is a son of Imo State.”
Governor Uzodimma also added: “On this occasion of your meteoric rise in academic, I celebrate you and recommend you to the young and vibrant youths of Nigeria in general, and Imo State in particular, for emulation.
“If our youths can enbed the determined Imo spirit, the unwavering resilience and industry of the Igboman, which you have showcased to the world , the sky will be their limit and the world will always be there for them to conquer.
“On behalf of my family, the Government and people of Imo state, I most heartily congratulate Prof Kenneth Amaeshi on this milestone.
“Imo is indeed proud to have you as our worthy son.”
Students Union of the Ekiti State University, has alleged that some unspecified number of students were abducted from their hostels on Sunday.
A statement by the Union, signed by the leadership, stated that “As at the early hours of today, Sunday Nov. 14, a set of people in FIB RRT jacket stormed Are-road 9 and made away with our students conveying them with luxurious bus to an unknown location.
“After so much enquiries and investigation, we discovered the school security and the Iworoko police division are not aware of this atrocious act.
“On this note, the Students Union Government is calling the attention of the State Government and Security agents to the development.
“The students are waiting to pull strings in the next 24-hours if the welfare and whereabout of our students are not known to us.”
The statement was signed by Alade Emmanuel Kehinde, SUG President, Balogun Mathew Oluwatobi, SUG General Secretary, Bakare Taofeek.
Ondo State Government has raised the alarm over a grand plot to blackmail Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, his immediate family, and the State Government.
A statement on Sunday by the Commissioner for information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the planned smear campaign was targeted at the Governor’s family with fabricated details and spurious allegations.
“It has come to our notice that some unscrupulous individuals have perfected plans to blackmail the Akeredolu administration, using the first family as a target of their smear campaign
“The plan, which was hatched and orchestrated by these individuals, particularly, targeted the Governor’s son, Babajide Akeredolu, on allegations of high handedness and interference with serious Government decisions, especially as it relates to the economic activities at the Government reserves
“Succinctly, the purveyors of this heinous plot have perfected plans to lie against the Governor and his son of attempting to take over the management of the forest reserves so as to corner the resources for personal gains.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Akeredolu handles the business of Government with utmost respect and accountability.
“The Government decision to ban all logging activities and subsequent lifting of the ban, are all in the interest of the state.
“This Government is exploring all avenues and blocking loopholes to shore up its Internally Generated Revenue so as to ensure that more funds are brought into the government coffers to drive development in the state.
“We will not fold arms and allow disgruntled elements ruin the gains that have been recorded and being consolidated on, in the state.
“Under this administration, we have recorded significant progress and growth in our IGR.
“For a Government that has shown accountability and readiness to explore all economic angles for the progress of the state in the past four year, it is not only laughable but, preposterous for any disgruntled group to suggest that Governor Akeredolu’s son was planning to man the ministry of natural resources for personal gain.”
Mr Ojogo urged members of the public to disregard the lies being peddle around by bad losers whose aim is to distract the Governor and government of the State.
After taking a comprehensive look at the November, 6, 2021, Anambra State Governorship election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Andy Uba, said he would survive his fate because he had seen worse.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Professor Charles Soludo, the winner. Soludo won 19 out of the 21 Local Government Areas, and scored at least 25 per cent in the remaining two.
Senator Uba won no Local Government Area. He came a distant third in the election.
But addressing a Press Conference on Sunday, November 14, Uba said he would survive what many people say is an embarrassing performance at the polls. He said he had seen worse. And that power belongs to God.
Uba: “As a Governor, I was removed after 17 days of being sworn-in by the Supreme Court of Nigeria and I did not die. So, the current development won’t hurt me. Power belongs to God and Him alone determines who He would entrust it to. This, I can assure you.”
Uba was removed as the Governor then by the Supreme Court on the grounds that there was no vacancy since the incumbent Governor, Peter Obi, had not exhausted his four-year term in office. Obi’s tenure, the Apex Court ruled, began on the day he was sworn-in as Governor.
However, having said that, Uba said he would proceed to court to challenge the declaration of Soludo as winner. He said the election was fraught with fraud and irregularities. And that the only way to seek justice is to challenge the outcome in Court.
Uba: “Investigations show that there are sufficient grounds for me and the party to challenge the declaration of the APGA candidate, Soludo, as winner of the election by INEC and that the ideal thing to do in the face of such discovery is to approach the Tribunal for redress.
“We will be heading to Court with the discoveries we have which shows that the declaration of Soludo as Governor-elect is faulty.”
Considering the high profile defections from APGA and the PDP to the APC, just before the election, many had thought Uba would carry the day. But APGA has an explanation for Uba’s disappointing performance.
The defectors deceived Uba, the Party offered.
A number of people and organisations, including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, have advised Uba not to challenge the result of the election. Many APC chieftains in Anambra have congratulated Soludo on his victory. And so has President Muhammadu Buhari, the National leader of Uba’s APC. Buhari said he would work very well with Soludo who, incidentally, is a member of Buhari’s Economic Team. The President noted that in his congratulatory letter to Soludo.
The People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in Ondo State, on Sunday, took a critical look at the present administration of All Progressive Congress, (APC) in the state and scored it zero.
PDP spokesman in the state, Mr Kenedy Peretei, observed in a statement that virtually all functional infrastructures inherited by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration have collapsed.
Part of the statement reads:
“Since his assumption of office as Governor on 24th February, 2017, governance has been on a steady negative slide.
“Leaders of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) were the first victims of his high handedness, which became manifest in the sheer number of persons who sought to replace him when he indicated interest to run for a second term.
“The Free School Shuttle Buses that parents and students enjoyed for more than six years under the previous administration suddenly disappeared from the streets under Akeredolu.
“There are unconfirmed reports that, some of these buses have been sighted in Lagos and Owerri (only God knows what the buses are doing in those places).
“Mother and Child Hospitals that provided free medical services to pregnant women and children below the age of five have all turned out to be mere consulting clinics.
“More than 150 Medical Doctors pulled out of the State’s employment due to poor conditions of service.
“The woes that have accompanied Akeredolu’s misrule are endless and the people are suffocating daily.
“Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo has become a ghost of its former self, since the coming of Rotimi Akeredolu.
“Incidentally, the Governor hails from the ancient town too. Why he allowed this level of ruin in the only government owned tertiary institution in his birth place beats one’s imagination.
“The Polytechnic’s Staff School that had operated for more than 25 years was closed down for no good reason.
“The staff and students were left in the cold. The Governor’s friends and allies amongst the staff were absorbed in the already over staffed Polytechnic’s nominal roll.
“Subventions to the school have been on the decline while the school is being loaded with new staff from Akeredolu and his aides.
“Workers have not been promoted in the last three years. Even jobs that are awarded by TETFUND are hijacked by Governor’s cronies. The entire place has been reduced to something near hell.
“As it stands, the school has more staff than students because of increment in school fees, which students cannot afford.
“On Monday, 1st November, 2021, at the launching of office complex of Anglican Diocese, Bishops Court, Owo, students of the school blocked the convoy of the Governor, displaying placards with various inscriptions, appealing to the Governor to pay the arrears of the Polytechnic staff salaries that is more than ten months.
“How does the Governor expect these workers to feed their families?
“The Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo belongs to the people of Ondo State and no effort is too much to protect this institution from imminent collapse.
“The school has produced great men and women in our society. Governor Akeredolu should not ruin everything that he met in Ondo State, as history will be very unkind to him if he continues on this lane.”
Ekiti state is set for the hosting of this year’s National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) which begins on Monday 15th November, 2021.
The venue of the opening ceremony of the event, which is Ekiti Kete Pavilion, new Iyin road, Ado Ekiti, is now wearing a new look.
NAFEST is a rotational annual Festival among the thirty six States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. The 2021 edition, which would be hosted by Ekiti State would be from 13th to 20th November, 2021.
NAFEST has served as a major vehicle for National cohesion, integration as well as a forum for human capital development.
The State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and some Governors from sister-States are expected to grace the opening ceremony of the festival, which has as its theme, ‘Celebrating National Unity in Diversity.’
Already, primary and secondary schools in the state, public and private, had proceeded on a week mid- term break to enable some of the pupils participate in the event.
Ekiti state had earlier in the year hosted stakeholders meeting for the festival during which Governor Fayemi, listed benefits of hosting the festival to the state.
According to him, it will, among others, showcase the Ekiti cultural heritage to the whole world and for investors to tap into its abundant economic potentials.
Dr. Fayemi said his administration also accepted to host the national cultural fiesta in November to further encourage creativity in the tourism sector and to create a viable platform and market for young people in creative enterprises.
Describing the state as the most suitable place to host a national programme of such magnitude, Dr. Fayemi noted that Ekiti was awarded the hosting right because of its reputation as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria which has one of the most hospitable people in the world.
The Governor, who noted that his administration has always given attention to culture and tourism, expressed delight that NAFEST would provide the opportunity for Nigerians to appreciate the role of culture in promoting national unity and integration.
“As a nation, we need to appreciate the dynamic nature of our cultures and acknowledge NAFEST as veritable platform to further celebrate our unity in diversity.
“I therefore urge you to focus more on how we can redirect cultural activities towards revenue generation. We need to effectively tap into the economic potential of our cultural heritage and improve our grassroots development.
“It is important to say at this juncture, that our government is encouraging creativity in the tourism sector of the state. We now have young people in tourism businesses as well as creative enterprises.”
The DG of NCAC, Otunba Runsewe, described the festival as one of the measures to cement the unity and harmony of the country as it is an avenue to showcase cultures and traditions of the various ethnic groups spread across the 36 states of the federation.
“In Brazil for example, people pay for what we have seen in Ekiti State today. We will take Ekiti Cultural Troupe to sell our culture outside our country. We should market our cultural heritage to the world, we must value what we have.
“Our country can be great again and culture is one of the platforms we can use to make it great.”
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has assured Imo indigenes living abroad as well as those residing outside the State within Nigeria and want to come home for the Christmas and New year festivities that their security is guaranteed.
He gave this assurance, weekend in Lagos, at this year’s Imo Cultural Day celebrations organised by the Imo State Towns Development Association, Lagos (ISTDAL) where he also praised members of the association for promoting Imo cultural heritage in Lagos.
Governor Uzodimma advised the Diaspora Imolites and those residing outside Imo not to listen to propaganda and fabricated social media publications about the security situation in the State.
He assured them that contrary to what they must have been erroneously fed with as fake news, the situation has been brought under control.
Represented at the event by the Commissioner for Information and strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba, Governor Uzodimma congratulated Imo indigenes in Lagos for setting the pace for other Town Unions in other parts of the country and even abroad follow.
As a demonstration of his support for the activities of the ISTDAL, the Governor expressed his willingness to host the Executive of the Association this coming Christmas period.
He, however, stressed the need for them to be visiting home regularly to appraise the level of development going on in Imo State, adding, “you will be amazed at the massive road construction and rehabilitation which has been carried out by my administration in less than two years.”
He urged ISTDAL to take advantage of his government’s introduction of the peoples budget which allows stakeholders to make inputs into the state’s budget.
Governor Uzodimma said: “Through this new method the Town Unions can advise the government on what their people actually need and it will be included in the budget.”
The event which held at the Nigeria Army School of Music, Abati Barracks, Ojuelegba, Surulere, Lagos with the theme: “Udo Bu Oganihu” and Evangelist Tony Ohakwe as Guest Speaker, attracted the high and mighty from Imo State living in Lagos.
Exhibiting an uncommon confidence, the immediate past Governor of Imo State, The Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, has assured his associates and supporters, that he would, again, be the Governor of Imo State.
Ihedioha spoke while addressing the 4th anniversary of “Egbu Declaration” which held at the premises of the All Saints Cathedral, Egbu, Owerri North on Saturday, November 13.
The Egbu Declaration is a congregation of Owerri people intent on having an Owerri indigene occupy the Governorship seat of the State.
Since the creation of Imo State, no Owerri man has fully occupied the office. The first man who occupied it, the late Evan Enwerem, had his tenure cut short by the Military.
Ihedioha was the second, but again, he had his tenure cut short, after only seven months by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He contested under his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in the 2019 Governorship election.
But on January 14, 2020, the Supreme Court removed him from office, and declared, as duly elected, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Hope Uzodimma.
All legal efforts to retrieve the mandate by both Ihedioha and the PDP fell flat. Since then, Ihedioha, the PDP and his supporters and associates have been bemoaning their fate. But from his speech on Saturday, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives has moved on. He has his eyes on the future well-focused.
Sounding very sure-footed while addressing the excited and cheering crowd, Ihedioha assured them that the next Imo Governorship election would be a shoe-in for him. “I am not here to campaign. It is done already.”
He said he did not disappoint the zone during his first outing and would never disappoint them. He said that those who aborted his tenure are suffering. He said he was not distracted by anything as his eyes are on the ball – the Governorship seat of the State.
Ihedioha: “I am proud of Owerri zone. I love you and I will continue to love you. I will continue to serve you. I am not here to campaign because the campaign has been done already.
“When you made me your Governor, I did not disappoint you from the beginning to the final stages. These are challenging and tough times. They want to discourage us, but it will not happen.
“I will keep my eyes on the ball. We must keep our eyes on the ball. The ball is the Governorship of Imo State. My eyes will firmly remain on the Governorship of Imo State. We are already there.”
One of the highlights of the resolution at the anniversary summit is a resolve of unity to make sure an Owerri son occupies the Governorship seat come January 14, 2024. This, it was resolved to achieve in conjunction with brother-zones of Okigwe and Orlu.
Even though the anniversary Summit was well attended by people from all works of life, some analysts have dismissed it as a PDP event.
Their questions and comments were:
“Where were Owerri people in the APC, for example? Or other parties? Did you see any of them there? Is Owerri zone made up of only PDP men and women?
“The names on the invitation card were those of PDP members only, or did you see any other names? Did you see any non-PDP member address the people? Did you hear any of their names?
“These people are inadvertently boxing the Zone into a corner. Everybody cannot be PDP. We hope the organisers know what they are doing.”
The Summit was meant to cut across political parties and religious beliefs.
Barely one week ago, what not a few people thought was impossible happened in Anambra State. And, it was not that the November 6, 202, Governorship election held. And that there was no bloodshed. And that it produced a winner. No.
The days leading to the exercise were uncertain. They were rough. Nobody expected a real election. On the contrary, what was expected was a no-show, and/or bloodshed.
The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, had imposed a sit-at-home order which coincided with the date of the election. In fact, opinions are that the election was the target of the order by IPOB. In response, thousands of security personnel were let loose on the State in a show of force. Mercifully, IPOB cancelled its sit-at-home order. But these were not the impossible that happened. Either way, results were going to be declared. Somebody was going to be declared the winner. What was thought to be impossible in the calculations of many was the winner of the election – Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
Nkem Okeke
In the weeks and days running upto the election, not a few people had given up on the capability of APGA, the ruling party in the State, to win the election. Of course it had one of the best candidates out of the 18 candidates, but things were very rough for it. In fact, it is doubtful if APGA and its candidate entered the race hopeful.
Aside from the unprecedented insecurity that engulfed the State, weeks to the election, the Party had a run in its fold. It was an, almost, everyday affair. It lost a number of its high profile members. It was unprecedented. Those who left ranged from a member of its Board of Trustees, members of the House of Representatives (serving and former), members of the State House of Assembly (serving and former, including a former Speaker of the Assembly), close Aides of the Governor (Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants), to other high profile APGA members.
The limit was the defection of the State’s serving Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke. And, as if these were not enough, on the eve of the election, the “heartbeat” of the party, literally, Iyom Bianca Ojukwu, wrote a public letter to her late husband, disavowing APGA, its activities and its leadership.
While alive, her husband, Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, was the Leader of APGA. The party revolved around him. Most people believed in the party because of Ojukwu. They saw the party as theirs, as belonging to the Igbo, as giving the Igbo a sense of belonging. It remains same for them.
The beneficiary of the defections were the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Senator Andy Uba. And it was not only from APGA that they benefited from. A number of high profile members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, including a sitting Senator, Stella Oduah, also defected to the APC. So, the APC and its candidate went into the election feeling real hip!
The feeling was helped by an inexplicable statement issued by the Anambra State Government on the eve of the election.
The statement, signed by the Commissioner for Information, C. Don Adinuba, raised an alarm that the APC already had the 10 most populated Local Government Areas in its bag. It alleged that in connivance with some Security Agents and some unscrupulous officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, APC had the results of the 10 LGAs. The alarm raised red flags of a defeat. The conclusion by many was that APGA had already seen the handwriting (of defeat) on the wall. And was already making an excuse for its fall.
But the day of the election, Saturday November 6, the impossible happened. It was the unexpected by many. It was shocking. The mighty fell. And fell hard. They were demystified. The impossible became possible. APGA and Soludo won.
Their victory is bound to have a devastating effect on the political future of a couple of the mighty who fell.
Following, in no particular order, are a few of those who lost hard in the election.
They cut across political parties.
Deputy Governor Nkem Okeke: Only those who were close to him and the Anambra State Government knew that all was not well between him and the Governor, Willie Obiano. So, for those who did not know, it came as a shock when they saw him at the Aso Rock Villa in a photograph with President Muhammadu Buhari and a couple of APC big wigs, flaunting the APC flag. He had dumped APGA, and defected to the APC. He did not defect quietly. He boasted that he would help thrash APGA at the polls. And, worse, he refused to quit his office as Deputy Governor, perhaps thinking APC would carry the day.
Only Okeke can explain his pains now. Has he any regrets or not? Obiano is in the office until March, 2022.
How Okeke will cope till then can only be imagined. Okeke did not only lose his Local Government Area, he lost his polling boot. He is one of the big time losers.
Bianca Ojukwu
Bianca Ojukwu: Even though she did not defect to the APC or any other party, his open letter to her husband denouncing APGA, Obiano and the APGA leadership was a technical knockout. Many say it was in bad faith, and meant to devastate the party at it most vulnerable period.
Long before that time, her relationship with APGA and Obiano had soured. She said they dared disrespect the memory of her husband, the great Ikemba. She did not take part in any of their campaigns. Even though she was amongst the first to congratulate APGA, the contents of her letter could hunt her for sometime. APGA won inspite of her.
Minister Chris Ngige: He made no impact either in the campaign or the election. And even though he has occupied Anambra’s Ministerial slot since the Buhari regime, he lost his Local Government Area to APGA. In the wake of the party primary which saw Uba as the APC candidate, Ngige wrote-off the exercise as a no-no and criticized Uba’s emergence. He was among the first to congratulate Soludo on his victory. It is not known yet how the loss will affect Ngige’s status in the APC in future.
Senator Stella Oduah: The Senator was a surprise defector from the PDP to the APC. A former Aviation Minister during the President Goodluck Jonathan Government, the Ogbaru-born Oduah is a two-time Senator – both times under the PDP banner.
Peter Obi
A couple of months ago, she dumped the PDP for the APC. She promised the APC votes and more votes. She said she was defecting with all her supporters.
But this last November 6, she added no electoral value to her new party. She not only lost her Senatorial Zone, she lost her LGA and her polling boot to the PDP. Her LGA was one of the two APGA lost. How her change of party will affect her political future is being awaited.
Senator Uche Ekwunife: Regarded as the number one female politician in Anambra State, Senator Ekwunife, PDP, has grassroots appeal. She had tried to be Governor about three times, none worked out. She took part in the recent primary, but Valentine Ozigbo carried the day. To appease her, and to tap into her grassroots appeal, she was appointed to lead Ozigbo’s campaign. She did not make much impact in the November 6 election. She not only lost her Senatorial zone, she lost her Njikoka LGA. The loss of her LGA to APGA is a big blow to her political future.
Peter Obi: Unarguably the most financially prudent Governor Nigeria has produced, Obi is a two-time Governor of Anambra State, both under the canopy of APGA before he was forced out of the party, and so, became a PDP member.
He was the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 Presidential election. Given his political clout in Nigeria, and Anambra in particular, and considering what he did for his people while he was Governor, it shocked not a few that he lost his Anaocha LGA to APGA. This is the second time he would suffer this loss. During the election that saw Obiano getting a second term, Obi also lost his LGA to APGA. In the instant case, he blamed the corruption of the electorate with money and said he would never indulge in that.
Serving, former Lawmakers, and Obiano’s Aides: Those of them who jumped ship from APGA to APC, thinking of a big victory for APC, have suddenly become losers. They have suddenly lost political relevance, and will likely be in the cooler for the next four years.
But politicians, one never knows. They may yet re-defect to APGA – with ready reasons.
