Ufomba insists Otti not Abia guber candidate
The last may not have been heard of the controversy surrounding the emergence of Alex Otti as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State even as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published his name as the party’s governorship candidate.
When many thought that the dust raised by his emergence had settled, his rival, Chief Reagan Ufomba, who emerged as the factional candidate, said Otti is not a member of APGA.
Ufomba said he has the party structure including the state, local government and ward executives of the party, which he said he has maintained for five years.
He declared at his country home weekend during the inauguration of his campaign organisation, that he has not stepped down for anyone, stressing that he is the rightful candidate of the party in the state.
INEC, he further noted, should be concerned with the general elections and not the primary election of parties, saying it is the party that decides who its members and candidates are as provided in the constitution.
“If you are not a member of a political party you cannot contest an election. Alex Otti joined the party in Abuja, paid and collected a receipt which he converted to a party card; the card they claim to have purchased is as fake as their misadventure.
“He came to me and requested that we work together to defeat PDP with me as governor, maybe he misunderstood me. Now they are saying I allowed them to go, but I said let’s run a united APGA that can win election in Abia State,” he said.