There is tension in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) over alleged plot to impose a governorship candidate for the party in Anambra State.
Fourteen aspirants, including a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, a former Minister of Transport, Prince John Emeka and 12 others have paid N2million each to obtain Expression of Intent forms.
The others are a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief, Paul Odenigbo, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Uche Ekwunife; Dr. Chike Obidigbo; a member of the House of Representatives, Emeka Nwogbo; John Chuma Nwosu; the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Oseloka Henry Obaze; Patrick Obianwu; Nnamdi Ekweogwu; Emmanuel Nweke; Chinedu Francis Idigo; Ogbuefi Tony Nnacheta; and an Executive Director of Fidelity Bank, Mr. Willy Obiano.
According to an APGA source in Abuja, six of the 14 aspirants as at 7pm on Tuesd
ay had obtained the governorship nomination forms and paid N10million each.
The six aspirants are Odenigbo, Ekwunife, Obidigbo, Nwosu, Obianwu and Obiano.
Interrogations, however, revealed that the nomination process has generated tension following the preference of Governor Peter Obi for a technocrat to succeed him to be able to consolidate on his achievements.
It was gathered that Obi is likely to back an Executive Director of Fidelity Bank, Mr. Willy Obiano, who was dragged into the race last Wednesday.
Most APGA members in the state however prefer a political candidate to a technocrat.
The aggrieved APGA members in Anambra have vowed to resist plot to impose Obiano.
It was also learnt that the governor’s choice is different from the recommendations made by a socio-cultural group, Olu Na Adagbe, and a Technical Committee, headed by Prof. Sylvester Anika.
A highly-placed source said: “APGA leaders are not happy that the governor is planning to impose Obiano, who is from Fidelity Bank, from where the governor came to lead the state.
“We have always known since last year that the governor might anoint his successor but he has been wasting our time by asking Olu Na Adagbe, and the Technical Committee to advise him.
“We have kept on pestering the governor on the direction to go but he said everybody should go to the field. Now, he has dragged Obiano from nowhere.”
Another source said: “If APGA leadership is arm-twisted and a governorship candidate is imposed by the governor, there will be mass defection from the party to either PDP or APC.
“Obi might be the last APGA governor in Anambra State. Does it mean that all those who have worked for him for eight years, including Secretaries to the State Government, are unqualified to govern the state?
In response to a question, the source added: “It is true that APGA has reached a consensus to pick its governorship candidate from Anambra North but no one is zeroing in on Obiano from Aguleri.”
Another source said: “In fact, if he is looking for a technocrat, why can’t he consider Soludo, who has a deep knowledge of politics and the economy?”
