Akunyili, APGA reject Ngige’s declaration

Senatorial candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Anambra Central  Professor Dora Akunyili, yesterday accused her main opponent Dr. Chris Ngige of desperation to win.

Ngige, who contested on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N) had been declared winner of the election on Monday night

Akunyili, who addressed a joint news conference with the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, said Ngige, whom she described as her brother, went into the election as if his life depended on its outcome.

She alleged that Anene demanded “settlement” from her though a proxy whom she claimed telephoned her. 

She said Anambra State Governor Peter Obi could not have offered Anene N10 million, a building and jeep, saying the claim was made to tarnish the image of the governor.

“Nothing can be further from the truth.  Everybody knows that Mr. Peter Obi, I am sorry to say this publicly, has no house of his own in Anambra.  He lives in his mother’s house and when people tell him that his room is too small, he says he is satisfied with that.  How can such a man offer another person a building?  Can one offer what one does not have?

“We all know that Governor Obi is a man of honour and integrity as far as money is concerned.  He is not one to be frugal with public funds.  He has demonstrated this on a number of occasions when he was put to the test.  It is well-known that he is not one to be carefree with public funds.  So, how can Dr. Anene make such allegation against someone who is known to be very prudent with money?

Umeh said though the INEC relatively improved on its conduct of elections, the attitude of some of its Returning Officers and Electoral Officers fell below expectations.

He urged the police to interrogate Anene to establish the truth or otherwise in his allegations of intimidation, and bribery  made before, during and after the National Assembly election.

Insisting on the re-run election, Umeh said with the cancellation of polls in four wards in the district, efforts should be made to properly secure the election from degenerating into another crisis.

 “We shall also await INEC to officially react to the phantom declaration by Dr. Alex Anene that Dr. Chris Ngige won the election at a news conference at Tourist Garden Hotel, Awka by 10 p.m. without the presence of INEC officials, party agents and security personnel,” Umeh said.

But Ngige’s spokesman Arinze Igbueli said last night that the ex-governor won and was not desperate as being claimed by his opponent.

He accused Akunyili and the Anambra State government of rigging in Agulu, which is the local government where the candidate and  Governor Obi hail from.

He said they inflated the voting figures from there after sacking the ACN agents. He said the result from the local government cane in on Sunday morning whereas it ought to have been brought in earlier.