Nigeria: APC Senate Aspirant Denies Receiving Cash, Car to Step Down for Umahi

Mrs Agom-Eze has been having a running battle with the governor's family for the Ebonyi South District ticket of the party.

Ann Agom-Eze, the All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for Ebonyi South District, has denied the allegations that she accepted a Toyota Prado SUV, a house, cash and landed property to step down for Governor David Umahi.

She described the allegations as baseless, unfounded and diversionary.

A Federal High Court in Abakaliki, on Friday, ordered a rerun primary for the district, with Mrs Agom-Eze included as one of the contestants.

The judgement was given in a suit filed by Mr Umahi against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The governor had asked the court to order INEC to recognise him as the authentic senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South District.

Before the judgement delivered by Justice Fatun Riman, there were rumours that Mrs Agom-Eze accepted over N40 million and other items to withdraw from the race.

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Government, in a statement by Governor Umahi's Special Assistant on Strategy, Chooks Okoh, has accused Mrs Agom-Eze of submitting falsified documents to INEC.

Mrs Agom-Eze, on Sunday, said the accusation was not only baseless and unfounded but a diversionary move to deceive the constituents.

According to her, "The rumour making the rounds that I collected various amounts of money, with a Prado, a house in Ochoudo is all fabrications. I never asked, and I never received such from anyone.

"This is baseless, unfounded and diversionary.

"This latest move is intended to confuse Ebonyi people in order to shift their focus off the reality of the epoch. But I'm happy Ebonyi people are wiser now than before and they won't allow anybody to deceive them again.

"They have been flying all manner of documents and trying to deceive the electorate over what the realities on the ground are.

"You people should not take them seriously. They are aware of what the court said on Friday and what do you expect from them? They must fight back.

"But they should be reminded that despite their tantrums, the constituents of Ebonyi South zone yearn for change and they have repeatedly said I'm that change they need at this time.

"I want to serve my people and give them the best of representation. That's my focus. I don't want to be distracted now by their whims and caprices," she said.

Background

Mrs Agom-Eze had, in the run-up to the primary for the Ebonyi South District, said her life was being threatened because of her refusal to step down for the governor's younger brother, Austin Umahi.

She contested the primary and lost to the younger Umahi in May.

But weeks later, the APC announced Mr Austin's withdrawal, paving the way for another primary in which the governor was said to have been elected unopposed.

However, when INEC published the list of candidates for the National Assembly elections, it left out the governor's name.

The commission did not name any candidate for the APC for the district, which prompted Governor Umahi to sue INEC.

The court in its ruling agreed that INEC was right to have omitted Mr Umahi's name.

The court said the APC erred in omitting Mrs Agom-Eze's name from the list of candidates for the fresh primary.

The court ordered another election within 14 days.

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