From Isaac Ojo Awka, Ifeoma Ejiofor Nnewi
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) primaries for National Assembly elections in Anambra held over the weekend.
The primaries took place across the the three hundred and twenty seven political wards across the State.
Monies and other items were freely given to party faithful during accreditation visited by our Correspondents .
The financial inducement was seen at some of the centers visited at Otuocha, Nsugbe, Atani, Okpoko, Onitsha in Anambra North Senatorial zone. Similar trend was noticed at other places at Anambra Central senatorial zone at Nnobi, Awka, Agulu and other communities.
The story is not different at Nnewi, Ukpor, Umunze, Ekwulobia, Oko and other centers at Anambra South senatorial zone.
At Ezira community especially, in Orumba South LGA of the State, an aspirant who couldn’t mobilized his agents like others allegedly demanded for a refund after seeing the direction of the primary election.
Apart from monetary incentives to party faithful.airtime ranging from N5000 to N10,000 from different service providers were also freely distributed to curry votes.
All attempts to get a word from the National Chairman of APGA, Barr Sly Ezeokenwa on the observed trend, proved abortive as he couldn’t be reached on his cell phone.
Meanwhile, police personnel and operatives of Agunechemba, Anambra State owned security outfit were seen at entrance of the centers visited.
At the end of proceedings in Anambra North, Sen Stella Odua former Minister of Aviation emerged victorious with 15,968 votes to beat her closest rival Dr Alex Obiogbolu who polled 4,537.
In Anambra Central, it was a smooth sail for Chief Dozie Nwankwo who ran rings round his relatively unknown opponent Chief Jerry Ugokwe across the zone to emerge APGA standard bearer.
At Anambra South, the incumbent, Sen Emma Nwachukwu garnered 27,389 votes to emerge APGA standard bearer for the 2027 senatorial election while Chief Patrick Ubajiaka got 5,279 to emerge second while Chief Akai Egwuonwu occupied the rear with 1,757 votes.
The Saturday APGA primaries also produced standard bearers of the party for House of Representatives and Anambra State House of Assembly.
As at the time of filing this report, unconfirmed report from the APGA leadership indicated that certain results with huge results without video clip of the voting process would be nullified.
