Supporters of Chief Austin Umahi Stand Firm on Senatorial Bid Despite APC Zoning Decision

Supporters of Chief Austin Umahi have indicated his intention to vie for the Ebonyi South Senatorial seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite being disqualified by the party’s zoning decision.

Umahi’s backers, operating under the banner of Ebonyi South Elite Class, have vowed to oppose any move by the State Working Committee (SWC) of the APC to sideline Umahi from participating in the senatorial district’s upcoming bye-election slated for February 2024.

The group has strongly criticized the party’s decision to zone the senatorial position to Onicha Local Government Area of the state, denouncing it as undemocratic and unfair.

Following an emergency meeting, the SWC of the APC announced that the party had allocated the senatorial ticket to Onicha Local Government Area, effectively excluding Ohaozara LGA, which is Umahi’s hometown.

In response, Dr. James Enyinnaya, the national coordinator of the group, released a statement urging the SWC to refrain from spreading misinformation. He disputed the SWC’s justification, arguing that Onicha LGA is well-represented in the political landscape of the zone, citing individuals like Prof. Monday Igwe, the medical director of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, and Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, the current vice-chancellor of Ebonyi State University, as prominent figures from the area.

The group also highlighted the presence of Rt. Hon Valentine Okike, a current commissioner in the state, and Engr. Felix Igboke, the party’s candidate for the area’s House of Representatives seat, as further evidence of Onicha LGA’s political influence.

Source: Politics Nigeria