NewsProbe News from Nigeria and Around the world
… may invoke EFCC, ICPC over alleged unaccounted constituency funds
Raymond Ozoji, Awka
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Idemili-South local government area of Anambra state has unanimously rejected the candidacy of the incumbent lawmaker representing the constituency at the 6th Anambra State House of Assembly Hon. Chuka Fabian Ezewune on the grounds of abysmal performance at the state assembly.
The position of the party was contained in a 13-point resolution signed by APGA chairmen, principal local government executive officers, political appointees and major stakeholders of the party in Idemili-South.
They said that the House of Assembly primary elections conducted in Idemili-South was inconclusive and that no winner emerged from the process and that they rejected the imposition of the lawmaker on the people.
Presenting the resolutions of the people at the APGA secretariat Awka on Thursday amidst peaceful demonstrations, Hon.Tony Uche Ezekwelu read, “That Hon. Ezewune having failed woefully in all the indices of legislative performance as our representative lacks the moral justification to continue to represent us; that he was made a candidate in the last election purely on basis of internal understanding amongst the party leaders and stakeholders in Idemili-South, therefore he should respect the same understanding and step aside having failed to carry the party and our people along since he assumed office.
“That he never consulted his constituents in any matter pertaining our constituency in discharge of his legislative functions as our representative till date. He takes unilateral decisions and stands on our behalf without involving us in any way.
“That he personally appropriates our constituency funds and projects to himself without any verifiable project in any part of the twelve wards in Idemili-South apart from the open shade in Afor Nnobi market. So what has happened to our constituency project funds for three and half years now? If he falls to account for our constituency project funds, we may be forced to take the matter to EFCC and ICPC.”
The foregoing were some of the numerous demands of the obviously aggrieved APGA faithful and some aspirants of Idemili-South constituency who stormed the APGA secretariat Awka and government house respectively bearing placards of diverse inscriptions signifying their displeasure over the alleged charade of a primary election that produced Hon. Chuka Fabian Ezewune as a candidate of the party in the area.
They said based on the resolutions of the party at Idemili-South local government area, it was evident that the lawmaker could not win general election for the party due to his poor performance and total failure at the 6th state assembly and that he was certainly not an option for 2019 House of Assembly elections.
They said having passed a vote of no confidence on the lawmaker, they also appealed to the party leadership in the state as well as the national secretariat of the party to hearken to their request for a good candidate for the House of Assembly other than Chuka Fabian Ezewune.
Addressing them at the party secretariat Awka, the state treasurer Hon.Tony Nwakile said he was not in a position to decide on the matter but assured them that the list of successful candidates of the various primary elections was yet to be published.
He made it clear that it was only the publication of successful applicants that candidates would emerge while assuring that their requests would be attended to by the appropriate quarters.
Also, the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, who received them at the government house Awka assured them that the matter would be looked into critically and workable solutions would be proferred to calm frayed nerves as well as ameliorate the situation .
