APC YOUTHS PROTEST AGAINST IMPOSITION OF IMO NORTH SENATORIAL CANDIDATE

Reporter : CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

Youths of Imo North Senatorial district have staged a protest against the choice of candidate for the forthcoming bye election for the senatorial seat scheduled to hold on October 31, 2020.

The protesters stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri with placards bearing inscriptions conveying their displeasure over what they described as imposition of candidate on the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming election.

Spokesperson for the youths, Mr. Emeka Nwaegerue, warned that the party might lose the seat to opposition candidates if Senator Ifeanyi Ararume was not given the ticket which they claimed he won during APC primary election.

Mr. Nwaegerue said youths had vowed to resist any attempt to manipulate the senatorial election by any individual no matter how highly placed, noting that the man whose name appeared as the winner of the primary election was earlier disqualified by a screening committee for certificate issues.

 The Personal Assistant to the Resident Electoral Commission of the state, Mr. Onyi Dandy, who received the protest letter, promised to forward same to his boss as none of the management staff was around to attend to them. The protesters later proceeded to the Government House, Owerri but were prevented from advancing closer by law enforcement agents.

The APC in Imo, which has been enmeshed in leadership tussle, held parallel primary elections for Imo North Senatorial  district, with one faction producing Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as their candidate and another faction produced Chief Frank Ibezim.