Ngige Withdraws from 2019 Senatorial Race

 By David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige has withdrawn from the 2019 senatorial race and surrendered his All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination form for the Anambra Central senatorial zone to Senator Uche Ekwunife to vie for the seat.

Ngige, THISDAY gathered, had purchased the the form from the national Secretariat of the APC with intent to contest the 2019 senatorial election, shortly before the Tuesday deadline for close of sales of forms, but later surrendered it to Ekwunife.

Ekwunife disclosed this on Saturday evening, during the opening of the Senator Uche Ekwunife Center in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

Ekwunife said, “I want to thank in a special way, Dr. Chris Ngige, who bought a senatorial nomination form for me,” she said.

She added that she was poised to reclaim her mandate which was stolen from her by the Nigeria Judiciary and handed over to Senator Victor Umeh, who is the current senator representing the area.

She said, “Senator Uche Ekwunife stands for every party; it is more about the personality I represent, and not party. You can see Governor Ugwuanyi (of PDP) here; so it is not about APC. We will reclaim our mandate.”

Ekwunife while speaking with journalists, commended Ngige for being so thoughtful, as a leader of the party in the state.

She said, “Ngige is the leader of the party; he needed to direct the party aright; that was why he bought and gave me the form to fill.

“It is not about party this time, but about the right person, and I am the right person for that seat. Umeh said he was going there to roar like a lion, but we are yet to even see him bark like a dog.

“He has not provided the needed leadership in the Senate, and we are going to take back the position from him.

Sources within the APC however told THISDAY that Ngige had purchased the form for his own contest, but later decided to surrender it to Ekwunife.