The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Imo State has been stalled as the whereabouts of the panel chairman, Ahmed Gulak, is unknown.
Gulak, who led the twelve-member panel to Imo State on Monday was last seen around 1am Tuesday.
In a statement by the APC Imo State publicity secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, the state party said, “The party members are hereby alerted that the whereabouts of the Chairman of Imo APC Governorship Primary Election Committee, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, is at this moment unknown.
“The chairman of the committee and his members were lodged at the Rockview Hotel, Owerri, the Imo State capital, on their arrival from Abuja, while materials for the primary election were handed over to the Commissioner of Police for safe keeping.”
Further, the state publicity secretary said, “This morning, the state Chairman of the Party, Daniel Madueke Nwafor, went to the hotel to ascertain levels of preparation and to get the committee to retrieve the materials and begin the process of conducting the primary, only to realize that the Chairman is no longer in the room, he was lodged in. Most members of the committee are still around and have made it clear that they do not know the whereabouts of the Chairman of the committee.”
The Direct Governorship Primary Election which was first scheduled for Sunday supposed was shifted to Monday and to today as a result of late arrival of materials and personnel for the conduct of the exercise.
The publicity secretary further said, “Party members are hereby informed that the primary election is yet to commence as a result of this. While urging all party members to remain calm and await further directives from the party, we reassure all Imolites that the process of electing our party’s governorship candidate shall be transparent, free and fair, in line with our party’s philosophy of changing from the old order of impunity, corruption and brigandage and progressing to a new order of discipline, transparency and prosperity for all.
“We remain committed to the belief that the people are the most valuable kingmakers in a democracy and we shall not condone any act that deprived the people of their right to freely select who governs them at any level and at any point in time.”
Every attempt made to get Gulak on phone proved abortive as his number was out of reach.