By Chukwuemeka Opara
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi on Saturday said it would still accommodate members who conducted parallel primaries in contravention of the party’s regulations.
Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, state Chairman of the party, made the disclosure in Abakaliki while reacting to the recognition of Chief Francis Nwifuru as its gubernatorial candidate by the Independent National Electoral Commisson (INEC).
Okoro-Emegha said that the ‘recalcitrant’ members still belonged to the party and would not be discriminated against.
“The APC in the state is one family and will accomdate members with their differences.
“We need people in order to sweep the electoral stakes in the general elections and cannot achieve such with segregation,” he said.
He said that Nwifuru who is the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, had long been the authentic gubernatorial flagbearer of the party in spite of insinuations on the contrary.
“There is no way the party’s national body and INEC would recognise someone who stayed in his house with his family and conducted a primary.
“Who gave him the result sheets to conduct the primary and that was why party faithful were not disturbed over the rumour that the candidacy was in contention,” he said.
The state chairman said that the party’s national committee to the gubernatorial primary arrived at the state and ensured a seamless process which produced Nwifuru as the winner.
“The committee ensured that all party guidelines were met and moved to the venue of the primary to conduct it,” he said.
Okoro-Emegha said that with the declaration of its gubernatorial candidate by INEC, the party would work assiduously to ensure his success at the polls.
“We would approach the elections as a united body and leverage on the excellent performances of the governor in office,” he said. (NAN)
