Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
A former Leader in Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Joseph Nwobasi, and the member representing Ezza North/Ishielu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Anayo Nwonu are trading words over the federal constituency ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for next year’s general election.
Nwobashi contested the House of Reps primary of APGA for Ebonyi Central and was declared the winner while Nwonu a two-term House of Representatives member contested for governorship primaries under the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and didn’t get the ticket.
Top party officials of APGA wooed Nwonu and promised him the party ticket for Ezza North/Ishielu federal Constituency and pleaded with Nwobashi to relinquish the ticket to Nwonu.
Nwobashi was last week invited to the party Secretariat in Abakaiki during the mop up primaries for the party to formally relinquish the party ticket to Nwonu with the party officials in attendance which he declined.
He addressed journalists on Monday and vowed that he cannot withdraw from the race.
He vowed that the law will take its cause if his name was substituted with anyone who according to him did not contest the party primaries for the position except him.
He said: “The primary election for House of Representatives in APGA was conducted on 27th May 2022 in Ebonyi State and I won the ticket to represent Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency.
“Our names were sent to the national secretariat of our party after the primaries and certificates of returns have been issued to all of us that won in Ebonyi State.
“Recently, I have been receiving attacks from someone who wants me to step down for him. I have also been receiving same attacks from his supporters.
“But I want to make it public that I have not stepped down for anyone and have no intention to step down for anyone.
“I want to assure my supporters to remain calm and law abiding, that my ticket is intact and I’m fully in the race.
“So, I want to notify the INEC and other relevant agencies to take note, that should there be any notice to them that I have withdrawn, they should disregard it.”
Reacting, Nwonu, debunked the allegations that he has been threatening Nwobashi and cautioned him to stop maligning his name.
Nwonu popularly known as Anatex, urged Nwobashi to desist from linking him with whatever problem he has with his party.
He said the allegation by Nwobashi that he was plotting to snatch his ticket was baseless as neither the constitution nor the Electoral Act gave him such powers.
Asked of his membership status in APGA, Nwonu simply said that a lot of parties had been lobbying him to join them due to his goodwill, but that he was yet to make up his mind on any.
“The point there is that, I don’t know why someone will derive joy in maligning my name. If Nwobashi has problem with his party, he should go and sort out himself and stop mentioning my name.
“Other political parties not only APGA are approaching me to join them. But it is left for me to decide what I want to do. Not people talking what they do not know.
“Like I said before, no person can take a ticket of a political party on his own. Ticket of a political party is a decision of the party. Like this one Mr Nwobashi is saying that Anatex wants to collect his ticket, I don’t have the powers to do so.
“The Constitution and the Electoral Act do not allow me to do that, but he is just making noise, talking what he does not know. He is talking like an illiterate. Electoral Act doesn’t not allow me to do that. Every party process depends on the political party, not me.
“I don’t know why he should he mentioning my name. And like what he said that I have been threatening him, I have not seen Nwobashi for the past two years. I have not called him on phone. Let him show you people the evidence that I called him on phone. I have not discussed anything with Nwobashi about any ticket or no ticket. So, he should leave me alone.
“Finally, I know their problem, their problem is my popularity. Their problem is that why must Anatex be rising this way. But it’s not my fault, it’s my goodwill and God. They are afraid of Anatex coming on board, not only him is doing that. The summary is that I’m a good market that every political party wants to buy,” he said.
