By CHARLES IWUOHA

The All Progressives Congress,APC, leadership in Imo State has maintained that the party remains strong and united ready to participate in the September 21, 2024 LGA polls irrespective of any distraction.

The APC state Chairman, Dr MacDonald Ebere made the claims in reaction to the alleged planned protest by some aggrieved APC aspirants.

In a press release issued by its Publicity Secretary, Cajetan Duke flayed the party, saying the publication of one Ekeh Chiemena alleging on various social media platforms that crisis is rocking the State chapter of the party over demands for refund of their money by some aspirants within 48hrs.

He described the purported publication as false, noting it has the potential of creating unnecessary panic within the party’s rank and file.

He maintained that the party would have ignored the poor and incoherent article for its obvious lack of factuality and clarity but is compelled to respond to what he said was a tissue e of lies and misinformation, designed to create confusion and chaos within the party.

“The article is in its entirety a classic example of lazy journalism, relying on unknown sources and unsubstantiated claims to peddle falsehoods.

“The truth is that the APC in Imo State has not been enmeshed in any crisis over the outcome of the party’s primaries.

The primaries were conducted in a peaceful, fair, and credible manner through a consensus process as recognized by the party’s constitution and adopted by the relevant stakeholders of the party, and the winners have been duly declared” he stated.

He pointed out that the said writer claimed that unidentified people were produced as Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates which he said was a lie, saying the candidates elected through a consensus arrangement, in a legitimate process within the party are bonafide members of the party who subscribed to the expression of interest and nomination forms for the purpose of the forthcoming election.

“The claim that Governor Hope Uzodinma and the party’s Chairman, Macdonald Ebere, scammed aspirants by saying that the party will refund their money is a gross misrepresentation of facts.

“The issue of a refund was a suggestion and opinion of the governor aimed at placating those who respected the consensus arrangement of the party.

“An opinion which is not a convention in the party democracy in Nigeria, but a gesture of goodwill, entirely advisory, subject to the consideration of the State Executive Committee of the party” Duke further stated.

The secretary urged the public to disregard the article and its contents, as they are nothing but a figment of the imagination of the author, stating that APC in Imo State remains united and focused on delivering good governance to the people of Imo State.