Ann Agom-Eze Demanded N20m To Withdraw From Ebonyi APC Senatorial Race – Umahi

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi has alleged that his main challenger for the Ebonyi South Senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ann Agom-Eze, demanded N20 million from him to withraw from the race.

Umahi Speaks On Ebonyi South Senatorial Ticket

The governor, who spoke in a chat with Arise TV on Friday, said Agom-Eze demanded N20 million from him for her to withdraw from the race.

Umahi claimed that Agom-Eze was never the candidate of the APC for the senate at any point in time and had no grounds to challenge his candidency for the senatorial district.

He said, “There was a primary election of APC for Ebonyi south senatorial zone on May 28th, upon which Ann Agom-Eze came second by winning two votes and Austin Umahi won by 283 votes. By the electoral act, Austin became the candidate of the party.

“But Agom-Eze wrote to the appeal committee that the election was unlawful and there was intimidation and based on that the party said we have cancelled the election.

“But Austin was the candidate of the party and his name has not been submitted to INEC. On June 9, Austin stepped aside as the candidate of the party and according to the law, a new primary election was billed to be held.

“There was never at any time that Agom-Eze became the candidate of the party. Let me say this, if it is said that some men don’t have honour, shouldn’t women also have honour?

“Ann sent me a text message when she came to negotiate for N20 million that I should give to her. I didn’t say no. She sent me a WhatsApp message acknowledging that she withdrew on her own without any influence. What was her withdrawal for?

“There is no provision for the second runner-up in the primary election of the 2022 Electoral Act. She withdrew under oath from contesting any further primaries of APC in Ebonyi state.

“There were about five events that would have afforded Agom-Eze the opportunity to challenge. She is working for the PDP candidate because in all these things she has not been very close to being the candidate of the party. I have not used my position unduly at all.”

KanyiDaily recalls that Ann Agom-Eze had defeated David Umahi at the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, to emerge the APC senatorial candidate in Ebonyi, but the governor won the fresh primary election on July 31.