The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Imo State Chapter, appears to have been hijacked by a certain money-bag in the state who is also one of the Governorship aspirants from Owerri Zone.
A source close to Capt. Ihenacho Campaign Organization has revealed a large scale membership card racketing aimed at empowering only members of the campaign organization with membership cards in order to frustrate other aspirants during the primary election of the state party chapter slated for October, this year.
The new state party chairman is alleged to have shown bias for Capt. Ihenacho candidature to whom cartons of party membership cards were allegedly released to enable him mobilize membership ahead of the primary election. To this effect, only LGA and ward co-ordinators of Capt Ihenacho have access to the new APGA membership cards and have since commenced the distribution of same to prospective members who would be accredited to participate in the primary election that would give the retired ship boss turned oil baron and politician an undue advantage. When our correspondent called the state Chairman of APGA Barr. Peter Ezeobi on his handset to ascertain if he was aware that only co-ordinators to Ihenacho had access to the membership cards, he feigned ignorance but promised to get back to Community Watchdog after a thorough investigation. However frontline Governorship Aspirants (names withheld) on APGA platform who spoke to Community Watchdog on the development confirmed the seeming conspiracy to disenfranchise their teeming supporters by denying them party membership cards and subsequent participation in the party primary election. They separately accused the state EXCO of conniving with one of them to thwart every effort towards ensuring a level playing ground for a credible and popular candidate to emerge who would win the governorship for the party. They regretted that some State officers of the party who should ordinarily be neutral in conducting and managing the party affairs could engage in acts that are capable of causing disaffection among contending interests and factors, adding that if allowed the issue will mean that APGA is now for sale to the highest bidder.
Courtesy: Community Watchdog Newspaper
