By Joseph Erunke – Abuja
THE Action Alliance, AA, has disowned Chief Ben Etiaba as its candidate in the November 2021 Anambra governorship election.
Rather, AA claimed that Etiaba was a card carrying member of the All Progressives Congress, APC at the time governorship primaries were conducted and even when deadline for substitution of candidates by political parties in the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC lapsed.
The party,in a statement, Sunday, by its National Secretary,Vernimbe James, explained that its clarification came on the heels of “fake news going round that one Chief Ben Etiaba is the candidate of Action Alliance,AA,for the upcoming November 2021 Anambra State governorship elections.”
“That is not correct, it’s misleading and should be disregarded by the party faithful across Nigeria and the general public,”the statement insisted.
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According to the statement,”The only legitimate and authentic Action Alliance AA governorship candidate for the upcoming Anambra State governorship elections remains John Okechukwu Ikeotuonye.”
“The party has not substituted him with anybody because John Okechukwu Ikeotuonye has the capacity to deliver dividend of democracy to the good people of Anambra State and Action Alliance leadership at all levels has confidence in him,”the statement read.
According to the party,” It is also in the public domain that the said Chief Ben Etiaba has been a member of All Progressives Congress,APC,and resigned his APC membership on 4th August 2021,at the time substitution of candidates by political parties has since elapsed on 30th July 2021 according to INEC time table and schedules of activities for Anambra State governorship elections.”
“It is not possible for him to have replaced the candidate of Action Alliance while being a member of APC as at the time of substitution of candidates by political parties,”it added.
It insisted:”We vehemently disclaim one Chief Ben Etiaba as the candidate of Action Alliance, AA, for the upcoming Anambra State governorship elections because he is not a member of our party.”
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