By VINCENT UJUMADU
Speculations that had been rife in Anambra State since primaries of the various political parties were conducted came to pass yesterday as the former governor of the state, Dr. Chris Ngige, finally filed his papers to contest the senate seat for Anambra Central on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

Ngige contested the February 6, 2010 governorship election in which Governor Peter Obi who contested on the platform of APGA was declared winner and not satisfied, he filed a petition at the tribunal.

As the tribunal was underway, he petitioned the president of the Court of Appeal, alleging bias on the part of members of the tribunal. The five–member tribunal subsequently disqualified itself and another one is yet to be put in place.

However, during the primaries of his party for the selection of senatorial candidates, Ngige’s name was mentioned, but his close aides denied it then. But when an unknown person from Ngige’s community was named as the candidate for Anambra Central for ACN, many people believed that he was holding it in trust for the former governor.

State publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Okelo Madukaife said in a statement in Awka that Ngige’s forms were received by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials in Abuja yesterday, adding that his name substitutes that of Mr. Uzoma Igbonwa who, he said, withdrew from the race for Ngige.

According to him, the change was approved by the national Working Executive of the ACN.

With Ngige in the race for the central senatorial zone, he will battle for the seat with the former minister of information and communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili who is vying on the ticket of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which is not yet clear as the party’s list for the April election is still a subject of litigation.

The ACN publicity scribe said Ngige, who is leader of ACN in the South East Zone, has been under intense pressure from party faithful in the last few months to represent Anambra Central in the senate, while still pursuing his petition at the Anambra State governorship elections tribunal.