Inegbeniki Rejects Imposition Of Candidates At APC State Congress

*Calls For CECPC Quick intervention*

Chief Francis Inegbeniki, Vice Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Edo Central Senatorial District has called on the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni to urgently intervene in the leadership crisis now rocking the party in Edo State ahead of today’s (Saturday) state congress by calling on some of the party leaders to order.

Chief Inegbeniki, a frontline contender for the Edo State chairmanship of the APC said Mala Buni’s quick intervention has become imperative following the rumour making the rounds that he has withdrawn his candidacy from today’s State Congress contest.

Briefing journalists in Benin City, Chief Inegbeniki said “my aspiration to lead our dear party in Edo is solidly intact and not a subject to any other meeting where some people were reportedly handpicked as supposedly choice of our people”.

Chief Inegbeniki, who is currently the State Vice-Chairman, Edo Central Senatorial district said “there is a rumor going around, that, I have stepped down or been asked to step down. I’m here to set the record straight and therefore, I wish to state emphatically, that, I’m still in the race.

“It is true, that, there was a kangaroo meeting, held a few hours ago, where it was insinuated that the Edo APC state congress will not hold as scheduled, but, a process that is alien to the ethos and principles of democracy will be adopted, whereby an incompetent state executive will be handpicked and imposed on the party.

Chief Inegbeniki said “I hereby dissociate myself from such undemocratic decision of a kangaroo and illegally constituted meeting.

“I and the majority of our party members completely dissociate ourselves from that illegal meeting and it’s an undemocratic decision, and as such, insist on a free and credible state congress as stipulated by the Constitution of APC and the congress guidelines released by the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

“We are by this medium appealing to the leadership of our party and the chairman of CECPC, H.E Mai Mala Buni to intervene and stop our party in Edo state, from imminent political annihilation.