All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Anambra State, Chief Godwin Ezemuo, has faulted Monday’s primary election that produced Senator Chris Ngige as the party’s candidate for the November 16 governorship ballot in the South-East state.

Ngige won the primaries conducted by a high-powered APC committee headed by former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, with 53,255 votes as against Ezemuo’s 9,554 votes.

Ezemuo, who had earlier refused to step down for Ngige, however said he was not happy with the process, complaining of alleged manipulation by people he described as “some certain leaders of the party in the South East.”

According to him, “The exercise is a planned deal. It is terrible. I am not satisfied with this exercise. The exercise has been manipulated at Idemili North, Idemili South, Dunukofia and some other areas.” 

Ngige, however, described the exercise as wonderful, saying that the large turnout of people showed the true picture of what would happen during the November 16 governorship election. 

“This is no fight,” he said. “Ezeemo is my brother. We cannot fight. November 16 is the D-Day. We are brothers and there is no need for us to quarrel over the contest.”

Announcing the result at Emmaus House in the state capital, Awka, Mallam Shekarau had commended members of the party in all the wards in the state for their peaceful conduct during and after the exercise.

He said the decision to adopt option A4 for the selection of the governorship candidate of the party was meant to bring democracy down to the grassroots, adding that the process was chosen by APC to test the popularity of the two aspirants, and for the purpose of transparency.

His words: “We are not like other political parties where they fight to select their candidates. What APC is doing is showing the way for others to follow. Ours is not a do-or-die affair; APC does everything in an open and democratic process.”

•Photo shows Ezemuo.