The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said he was aware that the All Progressives Congress did not hold any primary election to elect Senator Andy Uba as its candidate for the last Anambra State governorship poll.
Ngige told journalists in his community, Alor, on Sunday, that he rejected the money offered to agree that the exercise went well.
“I told them what was going to happen was direct primaries, either by secret ballot or Option A4. These aspirants listened to me and used their hard-earned money to run for the election.
“None of them is a thief or stole money, so they used their hard-earned money and we did a primary election and we said everyone would go to their ward, that voting will take place from 8am to 4pm.
“I even came from Abuja to participate in the process. Somebody of my status could not vote. I didn’t see any electoral materials here in Alor Ward 1. I am from this place, no electoral officials or materials except INEC officials. They were the only people who came, our party officials never came.
“By 5pm, I called Governor Dapo Abiodun, who was supposed to coordinate the activities and told him nothing happened. I told him to postpone the election from Saturday to Monday he said okay, but they ended up announcing result.”
Ngige, who also spoke about the decision to make Uba the leader of the party in the state said, “There is nothing like a leader in APC constitution. If you want to answer leader, you answer, but there is no such thing in the constitution of the APC.”
He added, “2023 is the reason all these people are here moving about, they have gone to collect money from people that they will work for them, but we will not allow them.
“Now, they are going about saying they have written the names of the people who will become the ward, local government and state executives, but do not listen to them. It was the same way they wrote election results for Anambra election and were going about, but when they brought it, it was dismissed.
“It is same way they will dismiss the list they are bandying about today. We will hold a very credible congress in Anambra State.”
