Enugu Governorship: APC Stakeholders Urge Eze to Concede Defeat

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the three senatorial zones of Enugu State have urged the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ayogu Eze, to accept defeat in the March 9 election, blaming his loss largely on decisions he made during the campaign.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the election by a wide margin, while Eze announced that he had boycotted the poll after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to include his name on the list of candidates initially released for the election.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday at President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign office in Enugu, the APC stakeholders said Eze should take responsibility for the party’s poor performance.

The group was represented by Okosisi Chinedu from Enugu North Senatorial District, Victor Nwankwo from Enugu West and Uche Okoye from Enugu East.

They criticised Eze for objecting to the role of Comrade Adolphus Ude, the APC agent who signed the governorship election result at the INEC office after the results were announced.

According to the stakeholders, APC State Chairman Ben Nwoye and Ude had earlier been appointed as the party’s state agents for the 2019 elections during a meeting at the country home of former Senate President Ken Nnamani, which Eze attended.

The stakeholders expressed surprise that Eze decided to boycott the election without, according to them, obtaining authorisation from the party’s National Working Committee.

They also alleged that he instructed APC candidates contesting State House of Assembly seats to boycott their elections.

The group described the decision as damaging to the party and argued that it significantly weakened the APC’s chances in the state.

They maintained that the party could hardly have expected a better result under the circumstances.

The stakeholders also credited then Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama with helping to sustain the APC campaign in Enugu by travelling through the state’s 17 local government areas to canvass for votes.

According to them, without Onyeama’s efforts, the party’s performance could have been even worse.

They further accused Eze of failing to campaign actively for the governorship election, claiming he returned to the state only on the final day allowed for campaigns by INEC.

The stakeholders said his lack of campaign activity made victory highly unlikely and urged him to accept the outcome rather than challenge those who participated in the collation process.

“We advise him to accept the outcome and concede defeat honourably,” the stakeholders said.