Cracks have emerged in the Anambra State chapter of the fledgling All Progressives Congress (APC) following the imposition of Senator Chris Ngige as the party’s candidate for the November 16 governorship election.

While one of the aspirants, the APC South-East interim Deputy Chairman, Senator Annie Okonkwo, has agreed to step down for Ngige, another aspirant, Godwin Ezeemo, has distanced himself from the arrangement, blaming , Governor Rochas Okorocha of neighbouring Imo State of scheming to force Ngige on them.

Ezeemo, according to a Daily Sun report, dismissed the emergence of Senator Ngige as the party’s consensus candidate as the wishful thinking of Okorocha.

His words: “Governor Rochas Okorocha is not from Anambra State and he would not be allowed to become an overlord in an exercise that is for the people of Anambra State.

“As far as I am concerned, the announcement of Senator Ngige as the consensus candidate of the APC in Anambra is complete falsehood. It is merely the wishful thinking of one man in the person of Rochas Okorocha.”

Daily Sun quoted Ezeemo as saying that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not recognise consensus arrangements, insisting that there must be primaries for the aspirants running on the platform of the APC in Anambra State.

He said before now, leaders of the party had all agreed that there must be a level playing field for all the aspirants and maintained that nothing short of primaries would be accepted by his teeming supporters.

He stated: “When did Rochas Okorocha become a native of Anambra State and somebody that would now dictate what happens to people of the state. We are going to resist any imposition in the coming election because that is not what the constitution says.”

When the interim spokesperson of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was contacted to clear the air over the emergence of Senator Ngige as the consensus candidate, he declined comments, saying Daily Sun reporter was at the Abuja meeting.

But in his text message to Daily Sun, Senator Ngige said: “I thank our party’s leadership and party men, my co-aspirants, especially Senator Annie Okonkwo for the honour, and for finding me a fit person to fly our new party’s flag for the upcoming Anambra governorship election, while Senator Annie Okonkwo will lead the campaign to victory.”

•Photo shows Senator Ngige.

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