Group photograph after the meeting
By Calis Mbadugha, Awka
Worried by the alleged imposition of the Transition Committee chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Anambra State, Hon. Emeka Orji, as the chairmanship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, for the coming council poll, the APGA faithful, stakeholders and residents of the area have condemned the imposition and called for conduct of primary election.
They condemned in strong terms the purported imposition which took place at Agai Primary School where it was gathered that only followers of the incumbent TC chairman, Orji, were permitted to attend and be involved in the nomination of Orji exercise as no other persons, including three other chairmanship aspirants were invited.
Those that made the condemnation while pleading to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for conduct of APGA primary election in the area, included, former political appointees, former TC members, chairmen of landlord association, officers of churches, Onitsha South Director general of Soludo Campaign Organization, Soludo Support groups including three Council chairmanship aspirants, among others.
Addressing the aggrieved mommoth crowd, in a meeting held at Recreation club, Fegge Onitsha, Chief Chukwuma Akajiobi, (a.k.a. Ajuma), who is one of the three chairmanship aspirants, pleaded to Governor Soludo to dismiss claim of conduct of primary election that purportedly brought out Orji as winner, adding that no APGA primary election was conducted rather it was imposition of Orji, held at Agai primary school where only stooges to Orji were allowed to attend.
"We can't accept imposition of Emeka Orji, our amiable Governor Soludo, I am sure is not aware of the ugly incident of rape on democracy for he is a product of democratic process. We plead that primary election be conducted for us in Onitsha South local Government prior to the council poll billed for 28th September this year," he pleaded.
"We commend Mr Governor for his commitment in delivering democracy dividends through strategic infrastructural development to good people of Onitsha South and also appreciate stakeholders for their commitment to the progress of the party APGA in Onitsha South. He is really a Solution Governor and we believe he will come to our rescue," he further affirmed.
On alleged santioning of the chairmanship aspirants for saying the truth and demanding for free, fair and credible primary election, Akajiobi, dismissed it with the wave of the hand, discribing the purported plot to sanction them as bid to distract attention.
In his separate remarks, Hon. Onyebuchi Obi, another chairmanship aspirant, while condemning the imposition, recalled that what initiated free education in Anambra State was the casual visit of Governor Soludo to Urban Girls Secondary school, fegge Onitsha, stating that today governor Soludo has given free antenatal , commitment to road infrastructural development in Onitsha South and end to touting have assisted in restoring Anambra to its lost glory.
He also enlightened the stakeholders on position of the party as regards to the leadership challenges and pledged their loyalty to the Bar Sly Ezeokenwa leadership even as he urged the stakeholders not to relent in their support for democracy saying the nomination of the current TC chairman for the forth coming local government election was not democratic.
Also the founder of the Admin Foundation which is the largest Soludo Support group in Onitsha South, Hon. Chief Promise Egbeji, who is also a chairmanship aspirant, said his Admin Foundation has touched a lot of people in Onitsha South stating that his aim for aspiring for Onitsha South Chairmanship seat is to support the Anambra State Government by taking the message of Solution government to grassroot.
He commended and appreciated Mr Governor for his good gesture in delivering good governance to Onitsha South residents which he said is evident in various programs engaged through the Admin foundation.
He pleaded with Mr Governor and party to see the need for a fair playing ground in the choice of the party flag bearer as this will consolidate the party in Onitsha South.