A drive through major roads in Enugu metropolis showed that APC billboards still display Ogara side-by-side Nnaji as the deputy governorship candidate.

For instance, the billboard at the popular Ogui Junction, Enugu has the images and names of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as the presidential and vice presidential candidates, respectively, while also displaying Uche Nnaji and George Ogara as the governorship and deputy governorship of the party in Enugu State.

Likewise a billboard on the airport road, going to the Akaun Ibiam International Airport, and Emene, has the duo of Nnaji and Ogara as the governorship and deputy governorship candidates, respectively.

However, a check on the list of candidates for governorship and State Houses of Assembly in the final list of candidates for March 11, 2023 election in the website of INEC, displayed Nnaji Geoffrey Uchechukwu, serial number 277, as the governorship candidate of the APC in Enugu, while Ngwu, serial number 278 on the list, is his running mate. 

Further checks by SaharaReporters revealed that the APC governorship candidate did not want to be seen parading someone from same Senatorial zone with him as his deputy.

"He probably wants to deceive the electorates from Enugu North Senatorial zone to vote for him by parading their son, Ogara, who in actual sense is not his running mate."

Meanwhile reacting to development, a professor of Law and former Attorney-General of Imo State, Sir Francis Dike, has described it as a fraud and can only happen in a rotten society.

Describing it as a case of deformation, Dike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) called on the authentic person whose name and data are on INEC website to sue for damages to serve as an example to fraudulent politicians.

“This is pure fraud and a clear case of defamation and can only happen in a disorderly and rotten society such as ours. I advise the person his name was submitted in INEC to get a good lawyer and sue them for N500 million for exemplary damages,” he said.

However, the Enugu Good Governance Group has described the development as a clear case of obtaining by false pretence, saying it goes further to confirm that there is no boundary to how far some politicians could go in perpetrating electoral and other frauds.

“Obviously, the name of Ngwu, who hails from Nike in Enugu East LGA of Enugu East senatorial zone as Chief Uche Nnaji, who hails from Akpugo in Nkanu West LGA was sent to INEC as a place holder.

“But they could not find a replacement on time. Since they could not go to the electorate with a governorship and deputy governorship candidate from the same zone, they decided to be parading Ogara, who is from Enugu North senatorial zone thereby deceiving Enugu people to believe that it is a balanced ticket.

“In any case, we urge our politicans to repent before they destroy our democracy. Those who think they will take over Enugu seat of power through the court like they did in Imo should wake up from their daydreaming. It won’t happen," the group said in a statement signed by Odinaka Ugochukwu.

SAHARA REPORTER