The crisis
in Cross River State All Progressive Congress (APC) over the authentic
governorship candidate of the party is far from over.
On Thursday,
a factional candidate, Pastor Usani Usani picked Barr. Helen Effiom as his
running mate.
Usani, the
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, officially presented his running mate to
thousands of supporters at his campaign office in Ndidem Usang Isong, Calabar.
APC has been
in crisis since its parallel governorship primaries produced two candidates,
Sen. John Owan Enoh and Usani.
Although the
National Working Committee of the APC has adopted and forwarded the name of
Sen. Enoh to INEC as the authentic candidate of the party, Usani has continued
to insist that he is the right candidate of the party and has approached the
court to set aside the Congress that produced Owan.
The Minister
while addressing his supporters during Effiom’s official presentation expressed
optimism that he will recover what he described as his mandate through the
court.
He said that
the matter before the court was very glaring and that it was just a matter of
time for him to be declared as the authentic candidate of the party.
Barr.
Effiom, a practising lawyer was the Chairmanship candidate of the APC in
Calabar South Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking to
party faithful after her presentation, she said that she was confident as a
lawyer that their ticket was the authentic one.
The
development has, however, caused serious tension in Owan Enoh’s camp which had
set strategies in motion to win the battle.
One of the
Senator’s supporters who spoke in confidence, said: “We cannot continue to
pretend that nothing is happening. For Usani to pick a running mate despite the
decision of NWC to submit Owan Enoh’s name to INEC then we can’t sleep with our
two eyes closed and claim that all is well.”
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