
Major statekeholders including the contestants and party leadership held series of meetings in which they tried to resolve their differences but a source at the meeting said it almost ended in a fisticuffs.
There were rumours that there was a plot by some elements to scheme out Dr. Uche Ogah believed to be the most popular aspirant.
Sources close to the oil magnet said aspirants from Ngwa bloc were bent on having one of them emerge as the party ‘s flag bearer so as to enable the zone complete its turn in the power equation of the state.
The incumbent Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is from Obingwa in Abia South.
Although APC officially did not recognize zoning the source said the Ngwa aspirants and their supporters were being unnecessary sentimental about the exercise.
Meanwhile, one of the aspirants, Ambassador Chidike Ukauwa from Abia Central who had earlier stepped down for Ogah had warned those behind the plot against the far reaching implications of imposing an unpopular candidate on the party.
He said that any attempt to scheme Ogah out of the race would spell doom for the party as according to him, Ogah remains the only credible aspirant with capacity to defeat the candidate of the ruling PDP at the main poll.
When contacted however, Ogah confirmed that the aspirants from Ngwa were working towards presenting a consensus candidate among them but expressed optimism that he would emerge as the party’s flag bearer at the primaries.
He said that the earlier problems over the list of party members on the register had been sorted out as the lists had been synchronized.
Ogah said his name was not ommitted on the list contrary to speculations, adding that the list of party members from Ohafia LGA not contained in the ones brought earlier had later been made available.
He said they were awaiting directives from the committee in charge of the primaries on the modalities for the exercise which he said would be a success.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has emerged the winner of the APC presidential primaries held Saturday in the State.
He polled a total of 455, 656 votes.
This was announced Sunday afternoon by the State Returning Officer, Prof. Chris Nwanmuo, of the University of Calabar.
According to the results announced, the President polled the highest number of votes ( 45,000) in Bende Local Government Area , the home LGA of former Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu.
Details of the results are as follows: Aba North 20522; Aba South , 2,970; and Arochukwu 40,671,
Ikwuano, 33,348; Isialangwa North, 25,271; Isialangwa South, 28,835; Isuikwuato, 35,261; and Obingwa, 19,029.
Others include : Ohafia, 31,208; Osisioma Ngwa, 21521; Ugwunagbo 16,109; and Ukwa East, 14,845.
Ukwa West, 15, 303 ; Umuahia north, 29,367; Umuahia South, 27, 608; and Umunneochi, 34,311 votes.
End
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