AAC: We did not endorse Ozigbo for Anambra governorship

The African Action Congress (AAC) says it did not endorse Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as candidate for the Anambra governorship election.

On October 7, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the list of final candidates for the election which included Chidozie Nwankwo for AAC.

But on Friday, there was a report that Nwankwo had left the race and endorsed Ozigbo.

In a statement on Saturday, Femi Adeyeye, AAC spokesman, said the attention of its national working committee was drawn to a publication alleging that the party endorsed Ozigbo.

The party distanced itself from the “endorsement” and said at no time did it recognise Nwankwo as its member.

“It could be recalled that on the 2nd of August 2021, the National Working Committee of the African Action Congress led by Mr Omoyele Sowore had issued a public disclaimer, stating that the said Mr Chidozie Nwankwo is not known to the party, neither has he passed through the required  constitutional processes of becoming a candidate,” the statement reads

“It is an embarrassment that these usurpers continue to parade themselves as members of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission under the leadership of Professor Mahmoud Yakubu continues to fuel this illegality. It has become clearer to the public that there is no such thing as “independence” for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as it has, more than before, become a tool in the hands of political profiteers; to disrupt the process of creating pro-people platforms aimed at challenging the political ineptitude that has reigned over the years.

“Much to our chagrin is the fact that this said umpire, INEC has continued to disregard earlier widely-published disclaimers coming from this quarters. This goes on to say a lot about the complicity of this Electoral Commission in the illegality that is directly being supervised by the Chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu.

“The AAC urges all members and supporters of our great party, together with the general public, to disregard this fraudulent endorsement and most objectively, rise to reject the imposition of any version of the Nigerian ruining class on the commonwealth of our people, whether in the APC or PDP.

“The AAC maintains that it shall continue to mobilize Nigerians towards participation in CREDIBLE elections and other political processes and to not just be part of the statistics for the ritual that keeps our people  under perpetual slavery.”