Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The member representing Ishielu/Ezza North federal constituency, Ebonyi State, in the House of Representatives, Anayo Edwin Nwonu, yesterday said this year’s general election is based on popularity and not party.
Speaking with journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, Nwonu a two term lawmaker on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party but seeking third tenure on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA), noted the electorate will vote for the popular candidates during the elections.
He boasted that he will defeat his rivals in PDP and APC because of his popularity.
He said “comparing me with APC and PDP candidates is like comparing lion with rats. It just the court issue that is delaying us. Even if I am in party Z, I will defeat them. Even if I didn’t campaign, I will win my election. I am already on ground, I have structure and I have performed very well.
“People are just campaigning for me freely. So, this is the type of election that we are going to have in this general election. Even if they give you two years to do campaign and you are not popular this time around, you cannot win.
He expressed the hope that the general election will hold despite the security challenges across the country.
“All the security agencies including the Presidency have been assuring that the elections must hold. We know the challenges we have in terms of security. The only we have to be doing is that we have to be security conscious, we have to be very careful during this time. So, the election must hold.
The lawmaker who is currently in supreme court with the former Leader of the state House of Assembly, Joseph Nwobashi, over the ticket of the party, dismissed the insinuation in some quarters that APGA doesn’t have structure to win elections in the state.
“I am going to run election, I am still in Supreme Court with my friend and brother for House of Reps ticket under the platform of APGA. By the special grace of God, its just a matter of one week or ten days, there will be a judgment on that, then I will kick off my campaign.
“I will not say that there is a move to settle out of court, I will not say there is not a move. The point there is that we are in Supreme Court. So, the court will decide.
“Before now, they always say that APGA doesn’t have structure but I can tell you that we have formidable structure to win the 2023 general election. APGA that I am going into has a strong structure and the moment I move into the party, things will change automatically. Very soon, the game will automatically change in Ebonyi.”
