Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (NBA), Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, immediate past Secretary to the Anambra State Government Oseloka Obaze and the four other Anambra governorship aspirants who appealed their disqualification by the Screening Panel of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) lost their case because it lacked merit, the Appeal Committee Chairman, Chief Tony Ojeilo, has said.

Ojielo said in a short statement released at the party’s National Secretariat, Abuja: “It was our view that the screening panel touched on all the relevant aspects of the party’s electoral guidelines and affirmed the submissions of all the aspirants that met the requirements of these guidelines.
“Therefore, we the members of the appeal panel found it unnecessary to change the decision of the screening committee. The appeals were therefore dismissed as lacking in merit.”
Chief Ojeilo also told newsmen: “The party is always one. If you are vying for an election, you are trying to build the party, your making an input into the party. If you are not lucky to the candidate of the election, there is no reason whatsoever why you should abandon the party, rather you should stay and make input in the party tomorrow may be your day. This is what I tell our members all the time; no one person wins all battles.
“Can you imagine someone who wanted to contest election and he does not have a voter’s card? Can you imagine someone who wants to contest election and he does not have a party membership card?”
Ojielo made it clear that the guidelines for the November 16 Anambra State governorship election are not peculiar to APGA.

Solduo and Obaze, who are generally regarded as APGA’s best hopes to retain the Anambra Government House, had been disqualified Friday alongside Emmanuel Nweke, Ogbuefi Tony Nnaechetta, Chinedu Francis Idigo and Dr. Chike Obidigbo by APGA Governorship Screening Committee.

Cleared for the party primaries are seven aspirants: Hon. Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Nwogbo, Paul Odenigbo, Hon. Uche Lillian Ekwunife, Chief Willie Obiano, John Nwosu, John Okechukwu Emeka and Nwachi Patrick Obianwu.

•Photo shows Obaze.