By Festus Ahon

ASABA—The people of Emu, in Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State, under the aegis of Emu Political Elders and Leaders, yesterday, rejected the running mate slot offered to one of their sons, Mr Vander-Puya Abannum, by the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The people, in a statement by Chief Godwin Iwegbue and 23 others, said: “We feel embarrassed and disturbed that after the collective decision of Anioma people, comprising Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ika and Oshimili, not to accept deputy governorship position in 2015 in deference to the campaign for a governor from Delta North, the APC surreptitiously offered the position of its governorship running mate to some Ndokwa and Isoko persons and eventually gave it to one of our sons, Ogbuefi Abannum.”

Reacting, however, Abannum described those behind the statement as political jobbers, saying: “The entire Emu people are behind me. I can tell you that there is nothing like Emu declaration on this matter.”

Abannum said he met his king recently and he never told him to step down from the race, adding that it was the machination of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state who were afraid of the wave APC was making in the state governorship race.

Continuing, the people said: “Although, Ogbuefi Abannum is free to make his political decision, Emu people and in particular the political leaders, elders, women and youths of Emu Kingdom were neither consulted nor in support of his present political voyage as we have since resolved to join our kiths and kins in Delta North and other well meaning Deltans to give our maximum support to Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as governor and Dr Goodluck Jonathan as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the forthcoming elections.”