Uba scored 230,201 votes to beat other aspirants to emerge as the APC flagbearer for the November 6 governorship election.

Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun state and chairman of the APC primary election committee, announced the result of the primary at Golden Tulip hotel, early on Sunday.

The Ogun governor said the total vote cast was 348,490.

Other aspirants polled: Johnbosco Onunkwo (28,746), Chidozie Nwankwo (21, 281), George Moghalu (18,596), Paul Orajiaka (4, 348), Geoff Onyejeagbu (3, 414), Azuka Okwuosa (17,189) Nwokafor Daniel (3,335), Ikoobasi Mokelu (3,727), Kwebuike Ifeanyi (1,466), Godwin Okonkwo ( 5,907), Ben Etiaba (4,244), Edozie Madu (3,636) and Maxwell Okoye (2,540).

The election committee said they adopted the open ballot mode also known as Option A4 to conduct the primary election.

Earlier on Saturday, 11 of the of the 14 governorship aspirants of APC in Anambra said the June 26 governorship primary in the state did not hold.

George Muoghalu, spokesperson for the aspirants, made the position of the group known in a press conference on Saturday in Awka.

Muoghalu said that in all the 326 electoral Wards of the state, people came out, but were disappointed, saying that none of the APC team saddled with the responsibility to conduct the primary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were seen.

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Moghalu, who made the pledge shortly after taking over from the Acting Managing Director, Danladi Ibrahim at the NIWA headquarters in Lokoja, also said transparency would be his watch-word.

“I came here to serve Nigeria and success is my priority; we will continue with all on-going viable and justifiable projects”, he said.

He said the country needed to diversify and develop its infrastructures in the area of waterways transportation, to enhance its economic growth.

According to him, the policy objective of NIWA is to transform the inland waterways to make them not just economically viable, but also provide an alternative safe and alternate transport system to ease the problem of transportation and movement of goods across the country.

Moghalu said inland water transportation system remained a critical component of the national freight system, particularly for movement of bulk goods, adding that its development was imperative in view of the growing transportation needs.

He solicited the cooperation of management and staff of the MIWA to enable him succeed.

”I regard you all as my treasured colleagues and I am here to work with you as a team. I need your prayers, advice, cooperation and support,in order to actualise the mission and vision of this Authority”, he told his staff.

In his handing over speech, the Acting Managing Director told Moghalu that the MIWA, under his leadership in acting capacity, did not deviate from the initiatives of past Managing Directors.

Ibrahim said that the authority, within the period, commenced the process of procuring self-propelled badge with the capacity to carry 60 Four-Off containers for bulk cargo movement from Nigerian seaport to the hinterlands.

He said that the authority also procured additional dredgers for in-house maintenance dredging, and was at advanced stage of procuring cargo handling equipment for Lokoja port.

He urged the new Managing Director to help secure approval for the authority to undertake study of waterways in Europe and America, just as he pledged continued support and loyalty of management and staff of the Authority to the new person at the helm of affairs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the appointment of Moghalu by President Muhammadu Buhari followed the appointment of the immediate-past MD of NIWA, Sen. Olorunimbe Mamora, as Minister of State, Health.

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The minister of Labour and Productivity is to be assisted by Chief George Muoghalu as vice chairman.

More than 50 other persons were named as chairmen and vice chairmen of various directorates of the campaign organisation by the party.

Emeka Ibe, the Anambra State Chairman of APC, who announced the membership before inaugurating the committee, charged them to commit their time and resources to the success of Nwoye governorship project.

Ibe said that the party has a capable candidate that would make history in the Nov.18 governorship election in the state.

NAN reports that all the aspirant of the Anambra governorship race except Sen. Andy Uba were named as members of the campaign organisation.

Osita Ezenwa, the Director-General of the Nwoye Campaign Organisation commended the composition of the various sub-committees.

He said that there was a lot of work to be done and added that the party would make the desired change in the governance of Anambra.

”We must all work hard and together in the task of seeing to the success of our candidate, Dr Tony Nwoye, in the Nov.18 election so that on Nov.19 we all will rejoice that we have finally won,” he said.

The National Secretariat of APC had earlier named Gov Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State as the national chairman of Nwoye Campaign Organisation.

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Nwoye, who represents Anambra East and Anambra West Constituency, polled 2146 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sen. Andy Uba, who scored 931 votes in the party’s primary election conducted on Saturday.

The result of the contest was announced by Chairman of the APC Governorship Primary Election for Anambra, Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno, on Sunday, at Prof. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka.

The election started on Saturday and extended to about 4.10 p.m. on Sunday when the result was announced by Shettima after a long period of collation of ballots.

Breakdown of the result of the exercise as announced by Shettime showed that George Muoghalu scored 525 votes to place third, while Ms Adaobi Uchegbu, the only female aspirant, scored one vote.

He said that total votes cast were 4,332, out of which 4,302 votes were valid and 31votes were invalid, adding that the total figure tallied with the number of ballot papers brought by the committee for the election.

Shettima described the election, which was contested by 12 aspirants as “very tedious”, but the “easiest” he had ever taken part in.

“It was an easy one for us as an umpire because none of the members of the committee has personal interest and that was why we did our best to make the election free, fair and credible,” he said.

Shettima said that the committee did everything possible to resist overtures from aspirants which would have adversely affected the outcome of the primary.

He commended the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their roles in ensuring that the exercise was successful.

“I must thank the security agencies, especially the Commissioner of Police and state’s Director of Department of State Service (DSS,’’ he said.

While presenting a copy of the election result to Nwoye, Shettima urged him to do everything to ensure that APC won the Nov.18 governorship poll.

In his acceptance speech, Nwoye described the process that led to his emergence as “thorough” and promised to led the party to victory.

Nwoye, a medical doctor and former President of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), was born on Sept. 13, 1974.

He studied medicine at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and at the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.

The APC candidate hails from Nsugbe in Anambra East Local Government Area, the same area with incumbent governor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano.

He is a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra and its governorship candidate in the 2013 election.

Nwoye won the election to the National Assembly in 2015 on the platform of PDP.

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Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, APC National Publicity Secretary, made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

“The attention of the NWC of the APC has been drawn to a report that the party has zoned the governorship ticket in Anambra State to a particular part of the state. This report is false, the party has not taken any such decision,” Abdullahi said.

He added that the party was committed to providing equal opportunity to all aspirants to compete freely and democratically at the primary.

The APC spokesman stressed that all aspirants cleared to contest in the coming primary should ignore the misleading report.

Twelve aspirants including 11 male and one female were cleared to contest in the primary later in the week.

The aspirants are George Moghalu, Sen. Andy Uba, Paul Chukwuma, Madu Nonso, Bart Nwibe Bart and Patrick Nwike.

Others are Tony Nwoye, Chike Obidigbo, Johnbosco Onunkwo, Adaobi Uchegbu, and Uzoh Obinna.

Sen. Osita Izunaso, the party’s National Organising Secretary, had expressed optimism that the party would emerge victorious at the Anambra Governorship election slated for Nov. 18.

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The party said it would give independence to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies and would also create, besides state police, a Serious Crime Squad to curtail insurgency.

Highlights of the roadmap presented at the party’s Inaugural National Summit in Abuja are: jobs; anti-corruption fight; free; relevant quality education; agriculture; housing plan; and healthcare plan for children and adults.

APC plans a social welfare scheme for the less advantaged and build roads and power plants. It will manage better our natural resources, the party said, adding that it will strengthen peace, security and foreign policy.

The Road map reads in part: “Roughly, one in four Nigerians, and half of young job seekers are unable to find work. The number of people whose jobs do not cover the cost of food and housing is even greater.

“In addition, major industries that pay higher wages account for just over five per cent of the economy.

“The lack of jobs is the most critical challenge facing Nigeria today, hurting every community and preventing us from being the truly vibrant and prosperous nation we deserve. Building a diverse economy that allows every Nigerian to earn a living and better care for his or her family is our number one priority.

“APC road map for jobs includes: Create 20,000 jobs per state immediately for those with a minimum qualification of secondary school leaving certificate and who participate in technology and vocational training.

“Encourage state governments to focus on employment creation by matching every one job created by the State Government through funding with two jobs created by the Federal Government in the same state.

“Direct conditional monthly cash transfers of N5,000 to the 25million poorest and most vulnerable citizens upon demonstration of children’s enrollment in school and immunisation to help promote job empowerment.

“Establish technology/Industrial Estates fully equipped with ICT, power and other support across the country to attract and encourage small-scale technology businesses and other entrepreneurs.

“Provide allowances to discharged but unemployed Youth Corps members for 12 months while they seek jobs or acquire training and skills for job placement or entrepreneurship.

“Establish plants for the assembly and ultimately the manufacture of phones, tablets, computers and other devices.

“Pay a guaranteed indexed-linked price to farmers to ensure that there is always a ready market for their produce, which will create more jobs, agricultural related employment and sustain existing jobs.”

On corruption, the APC said it was worried that “corruption is crippling Nigeria” and assured Nigerians that it would “create a vibrant economy where jobs and opportunities are more readily available.” “Every individual, civil servant, business and government leader must play by the same rules, obey the law and reject the temptation of bribery and corruption.”

The party was specific on its anti-corruption agenda, stressing that it would “show zero tolerance for official and/or private sector corruption. Place the burden of proving innocence in corruption cases on persons with inexplicable wealth.

“Pursue legislation expanding forfeiture and seizure of assets; laws and procedure with respect to inexplicable wealth, regardless of whether there is a conviction for criminal conduct or not.

“Strengthen legal provisions to prevent stay of proceedings and other delays in corruption trials.

“Guarantee the independence of anti-corruption and financial crimes agencies by legislation, charging their budgets directly to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

“Stop corruption in our elections, in part by making the Independent National and State Electoral Commissions truly independent and free from political interference.

“Improve the ability of citizens to keep an eye on their government, with more open access to government data, greater disclosure of government contracts prior to awards and during implementation, and ensuring the people’s business is done in an open and transparent way.”

Regarding security challenges facing the nation, the APC said it would allow states to own local police forces.

The road map added: “Peace and security are fundamental to Nigeria’s social and economic wellbeing. Every Nigerian should be safe and free to work in any part of the country, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, or religious beliefs.

“Our law enforcement agencies face significant challenges on many fronts: terrorism, especially in the Northeast, unresolved high-profile homicides and the rise in new crimes, such as kidnapping, abductions and cyber-crime. The result is an international perception of Nigeria as a failing state where violent crime, corruption and fraud are rife.

“APC’s roadmap for peace, security and foreign policy includes: Enable states to have their own local police forces that address the special needs of each community, including community policing initiatives that restore trust among local citizens.

“Establishing a serious crime squad with state-of-the-art training and equipment to combat terrorism, militancy and ethno- religious crisis, clashes.

“Provide a comprehensive compensation plan for victims of ethno-religious crisis, communal clashes and terrorism.

“Initiate a national reconciliation and healing plan, beginning with a truth and reconciliation commission on ethno-religious clashes, ensure the teaching in our schools of religious tolerance and public demonstrations of religious and ethnic tolerance by public officials.”

On Education, the APC plans to “make the right of every Nigerian child to receive a free, relevant and quality education a reality, based on free and comprehensive primary and secondary education.

“Provide free tertiary education to students pursuing Science and Technology. Engineering and Math (STEM). Create incentives and dedicate special attention to the education of girls.”

Shedding light on the road map at a follow-up round table, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Lai Mohammed, said that the party commissioned a survey on what exactly is wrong with Nigeria, what exactly Nigerians need, adding that “Unemployment, corruption insecurity are the major problems confronting Nigeria today. So, the roadmap is a result of what Nigerians need.

“What we have done today is to show that there is a big difference between the PDP and the APC. We are after a new Nigeria. This is a new Nigeria we are creating in which the people will be the beginning and the end of all development programmes.”

The Chairman of Anti-Corruption Network, Otunba Dino Melaye, said: “The road map has lucidly elucidated the palliative measures against corruption. What the PDP is practicing now is greedocrcracy, the government of the greedy by the greedy and for the greedy. The road map, which is to correct corruption, is coming at a time when we are getting to the brink. The APC is the solution to the challenges facing the country. Once I was blind but now I can see.

“Nigeria is like a car being driven by a drunken-driver. What we have now is that corruption is being massaged and promoted. What we have in the road map is to make every Nigerian a change agent. In 2011, I was in the National Assembly where a budget of N250billion was passed for fuel subsidy but this reckless government increased it to N2.3trillion.

“This roadmap will produce a President that will not just commission projects but supervise projects; a President that will execute projects that are people-oriented. N149billion has been used in the last three years for politically exposed persons for medical tourism. We are setting an agenda. The President APC will produce is going to attend hospitals in Nigeria. We are going to bring back our medical experts deposited in Saudi Arabia and in the United States.

“APC wants a Nigeria where you will not need to manipulate or commit immoral sins to get political appointments.”

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, said: “The best way to differentiate the APC from PDP, not only in terms of corruption but in many ways is to look at the leaders of APC. PDP cannot produce or present an incorruptible leader like Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. If they have any, let them produce such a person. I think the results are there on ground; if the APC leaders are credible. We have the history to show us and we have the performance of our leaders to speak for us.

“The last time the PDP produced a manifesto was in 2007. It has been pursuing one agenda or the other since then. We challenge the ruining ruling party to produce its own roadmap.”

A former National Secretary of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), George Moghalu, said: “The road map is all about Nigeria, doing things at the right time and in the right way. It is a reflection of the wish of average Nigerian.

“It is an agreement we are going to sign with Nigerians so that at the end of the day, we can account to them.”

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According to a statement signed for the Ngige Campaign Office, Okelo Madukaife, the flag off would be attended by all the 11 APC governors just as over 30 APC senators had ‘’confirmed their attendance.’’ Madukaife who quoted the Director General of the Campaign Office, George Moghalu as stating that ‘’Ngige is the leading candidate in the race and the only one whose candidature is undisputed among the four parties in reckoning for the polls.

Moghalu who spoke ‘’in reference to the event said, it is yet another opportunity to demonstrate to the people of Anambra State, Nigerians and to the world at large the followership that Senator Ngige and our party enjoy in Anambra State, as a prelude to the landslide victory the party is working towards on November 16, 2013.”

Ngige had in preparation for today’s event unveiled his 12-point manifesto and, a compendium on his stewardship in the Senate in an occasion at Awka where he also presented his running mate, Hon Ralph Udenze Okeke, a- two-time member of the House of Representatives, from Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra North Senatorial District.

Part of his agenda include security of lives and property in which he intends to engage experienced hands and apply modern gadgets to reduce and control crime; free education at the primary and secondary school levels, as well as reduction of school fees in the state -owned university by 50 per cent and providing adequate funds to ensure re-accreditation of courses de-accredited by the National Universities Commission, NUC, in the institution.

Senator Ngige said his education programme will also award scholarship and bursary to Anambra students in tertiary institutions.
The manifesto also provides for free antenatal services for all pregnant women, free primary health care for children up to five years old and adequate staff welfare for health practitioners.

In the transport sector, Ngige promised to build an Airport in Anambra North by December, 2014, create inland water ways and mono rail transport system, as well as quality roads and transformation of Awka.

Other points of special interest to the APC candidate are agriculture, water supply, electricity, housing and environment, conduct of local government election in 2014, lifting of embargo on employment, promotion of workers and payment of minimum wage to all categories of workers.

The APC candidate had earlier submitted the name of Dr. Mike Aghadinuno from Anambra East local government area as his running mate, but had to drop him for what he described as strategic reasons.

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