BY Idris Shehu
David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi, has alleged that Ann Agom-Eze, a contender for the state’s south senatorial ticket, demanded N20 million from him.
The governor spoke in a chat with Arise TV on Friday.
Agom-Eze was Umahi’s main challenger for the Ebonyi south senatorial ticket of the APC.
On July 22, a federal high court in Abakaliki dismissed a suit filed by Umahi, asking the court to recognise him as the APC candidate for the senatorial district.
However, the court recognised Agom-Eze, who came second in the May 28 senatorial primary election for Ebonyi south, but ordered that a fresh primary election be conducted within 14 days.
The APC conducted a fresh primary election on July 31, and Umahi was declared the winner.
A few weeks after the loss, Agom-Eze was expelled from the APC over alleged rebellious and unruly behaviour.
Addressing the situation on Friday, Umahi accused Agom-Eze of demanding N20 million from him for her to withdraw from the race.
He also said Agom-Eze is “working for the PDP candidate”.
“There was a primary election of APC for Ebonyi south senatorial zone on May 28th, upon which Ann Agom-Eze came second by winning two votes and Austin Umahi won by 283 votes. By the electoral act, Austin became the candidate of the party. But Agom-Eze wrote to the appeal committee that the election was unlawful and there was intimidation and based on that the party said we have cancelled the election,” the governor said.
“But Austin was the candidate of the party and his name has not been submitted to INEC. On June 9, Austin stepped aside as the candidate of the party and according to the law, a new primary election was billed to be held.
“There was never at any time that Agom-Eze became the candidate of the party. Let me say this, if it is said that some men don’t have honour, shouldn’t women also have honour?
“Ann sent me a text message when she came to negotiate for N20 million that I should give to her. I didn’t say no. She sent me a WhatsApp message acknowledging that she withdrew on her own without any influence. What was her withdrawal for?
“There is no provision for the second runner-up in the primary election of the 2022 Electoral Act. She withdrew under oath from contesting any further primaries of APC in Ebonyi state.
“There were about five events that would have afforded Agom-Eze the opportunity to challenge. She is working for the PDP candidate because in all these things she has not been very close to being the candidate of the party. I have not used my position unduly at all.”
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