Ebonyi 2019: 17 aspirants to jostle for APC guber ticket

As politicians begin permutations and consultations with stakeholders ahead of 2019 general elections, not few than 17 persons will jostle for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, The Daily Times has gathered.

This is even as the party has vowed that no amount of intimidation and harassment from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state could deter it from taking the rein of power come 2019.

A chieftain of the party, Dr. Mike Okoro (a.k.a Vote for Jesus), in an exclusive interview with The Daily Times Sunday, said the deep interest so far shown by 17 Ebonyi political gladiators to secure the party’s governorship ticket was as a result of its prominence and transparency, both within and outside the state.

Okoro, who also made known his intention to contest for the governorship election, added that the poise and the enthusiasm with which notable Ebonyi politicians had exhibited their quest to grabbing the APC ticket was an indication that the APC was the only political party that is alive and surviving in the state.

According to Okoro, some of the personalities, currently helping to spearhead the activities of the APC in Ebonyi State were until a month ago, strong members of the PDP, but had decided to defect to the party because they had seen the handwriting on the wall, pointing out that “with time, APC leaders in their characteristic manner and adherence to internal democracy, will join hands and support one person to be the party’s candidate in the 2019 governorship election”.

The Assemblies of God Pastor and business mogul, reiterated the party’s poise and preparedness to unseat the Governor Dave Umahi-led government in 2019, lamenting that the present PDP administration in the state had failed Ebonyians.

Describing the present government as selfish, he said the appointment of over 3,000 aides by the governor, without recourse to what his party’s constitution stipulated, was a sign that he had lost confidence in himself and his administration.

He appealed to all APC faithful within and outside the state to be resolute and fearless as they prosecute strategies and plans geared towards realising the party’s goal in 2019, saying, “My advice to the APC members with regards to the vulgar statement credited to the Ebonyi State governor, although he has been trying to deny it that anybody who stands in his way in 2019 would be crushed and grinded to ashes,

but have not come out clearly to do so, is that the comment has been taken to Abuja and it’s critically being looked into. But it feels bad that such statement should emanate from a leader at that level as a governor”.

“Quote me that I said there’s no other party that’s alive, that’s surviving in the present Ebonyi State except the APC. Of course if you

listened very well, why are they up to 17 people jostling for the governorship ticket of the APC in Ebonyi State ahead of the 2019 election?”.

“It’s because the APC has turned out to be the most prominent party in the state. Now, how many of them are indicating interest to run the gubernatorial election in PDP? Are they afraid of the incumbent?

I want to also let you know that some of the people working for the APC now, were up till last month prominent members of the PDP. They are now defecting to APC, because they have read the handwriting on the wall”.

“The APC has 100 per cent chance of winning the governorship seat in the state in 2019. The APC, that’s owned by Ebonyians has all it takes to take over the rein of power from the PDP. The present government in Ebonyi State led by the PDP has failed Ebonyians. The present government is selfish”.

“Go and sample the opinions of people, am not just the only one saying it and you would hear what people have to say. Go round and sample the opinions of both PDP and APC stakeholders in the state; go round and interact with working class Ebonyians and they will tell you what their opinions are concerning the activities of the present administration”.

“Have you ever heard a state appoint over 3,000 SSAs, SAs, TAs, STAs, PAs and what have you? This is simply as a result of loss of confidence. What do you need these numerous appointees for?”, he said.

Okoro did not name the political gladiators in Ebonyi State that have indicated interest to grab the party’s governorship ticket, but further investigations by our Correspondent revealed that, among them are:

Prophet Adol Awam, General Overseer of Eternal Light Christian Church Worldwide; Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, current Minister of Science and Technology; Engr. Paul Okorie (popularly called AKTION), a former Commissioner of Works in the state; Dr. Edward Nkwegu (a.k.a EDON), a former governorship candidate of the Labour Party in 2015.

Others are: Sen. Sonni Ogbuoji, the current senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone; Comrade Christian Chukwu, a UK-based business mogul; Sen. Emmanuel Azu Agboti, a former senator who

represented Ebonyi South Senatorial District, and Dr. Mike Okoro (a.k.a Vote for Jesus), among others.