AWKA — The Inter-party Advisory Council -IPAC, Anambra State Chapter, has described as false and unfounded, a report that it endorsed Chief Victor Umeh and asked the All Progressives Grand Alliance – APGA, to give Umeh its Anambra Central Senatorial ticket.
Shocked at the report by media aides to Chief Umeh, the Anambra State Chairman of IPAC Comrade Uche Ugwoji, who is also the Chairman of Zenith Labour Party -ZLP in Anambra State, wondered how and upon what basis IPAC would adopt Victor Umeh when the other parties have their own aspirants and worst still when Victor Umeh has not won APGA primary for Anambra Central senate. According to Ugwoji, what happened was that they paid a courtesy call to Umeh, to interact with him and that IPAC extends the same courtesy to all aspirants.
“We paid a courtesy call to Victor Umeh. Courtesy visit, as regards his aspiration. We cannot adopt somebody who has not gone for primary,” Anambra State IPAC Chairman said. Reacting to publication by Chief Victor Umeh’s media aides, Comrade Ugwoji said; “We are refuting it because we have not adopted anybody. How can seasoned politicians; you know the makeup of IPAC; how can we go on and adopt an aspirant when we have other political parties there? So as Chairman of IPAC and I have a candidate running from my party, how can I go and adopt an APGA aspirant? Can’t you see it’s ridiculous”?
IPAC insists that what happened was that they paid a visit to Victor Umeh. “We paid a courtesy call to Umeh and we demanded to know what he is going to offer, peradventure he wins the primary election.”
Speaking on if he, on behalf of IPAC, directed APGA to give Umeh its Anambra Central Senatorial ticket, IPAC Chairman said such never happened as there is no basis to issue such instructions to APGA. “There is no way that was possible. We are not in a position to advise APGA. Mind you, we pay a courtesy call to every aspirant, to preach peaceful election, among others. We have also met Mrs. Obiano. Our message to aspirants is to shun violence. We also want to see what they have to offer”.
Emphasising what happened at Chief Umeh’s home yesterday, IPAC Chairman said that the group “vehemently told Umeh that they were not at his home to adopt him. We clearly stated it that we were not there to adopt him. We just paid a courtesy visit”, Comrade Uche Ugwoji clarified.
He is a Technical Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano’s Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, whoonce was a Special Adviser to a former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly. Ebuka is a second class upper division graduate of Political Science from University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science with specialization in Government and Development Studies, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria
