By CHARLES IWUOHA

Following the withdrawal of the senatorial candidate of Ebonyi South Senatorial zone under the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Mrs.Blessing Nwankwo Ngbedi, the leadership of the party in the state has replaced her with another candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Elebe.

The replacement meeting, which took place at the party office along Abakaliki – Enugu expressway, was attended by the gubernatorial candidate, Prof. Bernard Odoh; Deputy governorship candidate, Dr.Nkata Nwani Chukwu, Sen. Emmanuel Onwe (Ebonyi Central Senatorial zone), Silas Nwidembia (Ebonyi North senatorial zone), and Nwobashi Joseph (Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency), among others.

Addressing newsmen in Abakaliki on Tuesday, the State Chairman of the party, Hon. Richy Okorouka, stated that the have gotten directive from the national leadership of the party on how to go about it at the state level, after which the names of the new candidates shall be forwarded to their headquarters to enable them upload it in INEC Portal.

Hon. Okorouka noted that INEC was notified about the process of replacement but were unable to come because of public holiday.

“We have gotten directive on how to go about the replacement .The party national leadership has also instructed us on what to do.

“Because of the public holiday, INEC will not be able to be here today, but we have notified them.

“The national leadership has asked us to do the needful at the state level and then send back to them to enable them upload to INEC portal,” he said.

On his part, the gubernatorial flagbearer of the party, Prof.Benard Odoh said that the party had conducted its primaries on May, 2022 in line with the Constitutional provisions and electoral guidelines, saying that the have received letter from candidates who decided to withdraw from the race while the state office will soon transfer names of those who replaced them to the national office in order to be uploaded in INEC portal.

“The party had conducted primaries in May, 2022 in line with the Constitutional provisions. They candidates who decided on their own to withdraw from the race, the party has received their letter of withdrawal.

“We have also notified INEC to come and witness this process today, and INEC received the letter on 24th of June, 2022 but the just informed us that because of the holiday, they were unable to send their staff to monitor the process today.

“We have interfaced with them and our national office and the have directed us on what to do.

“There is no contest, it is basically replacement. So, the state office here will do a formal communication to the National office and therefore transfer the names of those used for replacement.

“We have Mrs. Blessing Nwankwo Egbedi Mgbebi who was running for Ebonyi South Senate but she has withdrawn from the race and has been replaced with Chief Ifeanyi Elebe who the party deemed fit to occupy the position.

“We have a full squad in our party and we expect nothing but victory.

“We have two other persons who have also withdrawn but we shall respect their privacy at this stage and we shall allow the party to do the needful.

“The most important thing is that we have received their letters of withdrawal and the party shall be communicated accordingly.

“We are committed to good governance, social justice and enthronement of processes that will give us wealth and prosperity.”

Responding, Chief Elebe appreciated the party for considering him worthy to run with the senatorial ticket, pledging to ensure victory of the party come 2023 general elections.