By PETER OKUTU
ABAKALIKI—National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Mr. Victor Umeh, weekend, debunked claims in some quarters that the party had adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate in this year’s general election.

He said though the party was engaged in series of discussions with PDP, ACN and other political parties in the country, no decision had been taken on the candidacy of President Jonathan.

Umeh, who made the remarks during the flag off of the party’s gubernatorial campaign in Abakaiki, noted that all hands would be on deck to ensure that the party replicated what it did in Anambra State in the forthcoming governorship election in Ebonyi State.

He said: “Let it be taken from this interview that we have not adopted anyone. We have not. We are still discussing and by the time we hold our national convention, it is possible that we would have a satisfactory level of discussion and we’ll make our position public.

“Well, the truth of the matter is that we have no presidential candidate. The reason being that no aspirant bought our form to run for the office of the president. And if you look at the general trend, you’ll see that no Igbo man today is contesting the presidency.

“So the Igbo for, some reasons, did not consider it expedient to run for the office of the president at this time
“Today, the arena for the campaign was covered by see of heads showing that Amb. Ogbuewu, by the endorsement of Ebonyi people, will be the next governor of the state.”

In his speech to the people of the state, the governorship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in Ebonyi state, Ambassador Frank Nchita Ogbuewu, held the present administration in the state was culpable for the level of underdevelopment currently permeating different sectors of the state.

He made it clear that if he eventually won the governorship position in this year’s general election, the APGA-led government in the state would be people-oriented and foster a good harmonious relationship with its workforce.

He said: “Since the past four years, Ebonyi people have witnessed a total reverse of developmental process that was in place before the inception of the administration.

“The government of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi has failed. Not only that, it has underdeveloped all the sectors of the state’s well being, be it health, education, public utilities, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism.

“I want to assure all Ebonyians that today marks a turning point in their lives because an APGA-led government will place a very high premium on their welfare.”