The Martins Agbaso-led delegitimised faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), early yesterday, conducted the governorship primary to choose its standard bearer for the November 18, 2017 election. After much cat and mouse game with security officials, the primary finally took place in the rural community of Ezira in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State without the glamour associated with such exercise.

The people of Ezira, which is one of the remote communities in Orumba, the neighbouring local government with Abia State, woke up yesterday to notice unusual faces, but before they knew what was going on, the exercise was over before 9 am. Mr. Hearse Igwebike, a retired soldier, who lost the APGA primary for the House of Representatives for Orumba North and South in 2015, was declared the candidate of the faction.

Igwebike who hails from Umuomaku, also in Orumba South, defeated Dr. Elo Afoka and Chief Chinedu Idigo. The party adopted Option A4 in which supporters queued behind their favoured aspirants. Vanguard gathered that the decision to move the exercise to the rural area was due to the inability of the Agbaso group to secure a venue for the exercise in Awka. For instance, the primary was earlier scheduled to take place at the Emmaus House in Awka, but security operatives did not allow the group access to the place. It also tried to use the Mable Arch Hotel also in Awka, but the place was barricaded by security operatives. (Vanguard)

•Adapted from a Vanguard report.

Update news