A research and political risk consultancy firm, Hallmark International Consulting Company, based in the United States has tipped Andy Uba to win the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.

HICC said, “Senator Andy Uba, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress may win in a hotly contested election with a margin of error of between three to four per cent probability ratings in Anambra State governorship election”.

The foundation’s vice president for Africa and Middle East, Hayes Rodney, in a statement said the interest of the foundation in the Anambra governorship election was nonpartisan.

HICC said the research and opinion poll was commissioned by a US-based ‘Power to the People Foundation’ – a non-governmental organisation with an interest in the sustainability of democracy in Africa and around the world.

Although HICC said it only polled six major candidates including Godwin Maduka of Accord, Charles Soludo of All Progressive Grand Alliance, Valentine Ozigbo of PDP, Obiora Okonkwo of Zenith Labour Party, and Senator Andy Uba of APC, the poll, it said, “further narrowed the governorship race to a contest between Soludo of APGA and Senator Andy Uba of APC.”

Meanwhile, the Andy Uba Campaign Organisation has condemned what it called calumny attacks on its candidate, in the race by APGA.

A statement by the media director of the organisation, Afam Ogene, read in part,”This time, using a poorly scripted propaganda material, they claimed that a certain nondescript character, allegedly, ‘confessed’ that Distinguished Senator Andy Uba contracted him to cause mayhem in the state.

“The General Public is advised to ignore this concocted tale which could only have emanated from the jaundiced imagination of crude propagandists.

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“Senator Uba, despite having devoted the greater part of his adult life to the service of Ndi Anambra and Nigeria, is a widely acclaimed perfect gentleman who not only detests violence, but has also never being associated with anything of the sort.

“A cursory look at the concocted tale shows that the story has no source and can’t be referenced to anyone. The parrot news attached at the end of the said article does not also exist, either in print or the internet.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Uba and his APC have been insistent on having the Anambra governorship election hold this Saturday, November 6, 2021.

“In deed, ndi Anambra and Nigerians at large are aware of those who appear not to be ready for the gubernatorial duel, and are therefore conjuring all manner of excuses, including playing games with security issues, so as to force a stalemate.

“With the Independent National Electoral Commission and other political parties, including the APC and security agencies ready for the polls, we advise Governor Obiano, Prof Soludo and APGA to get up and get ready for November 6, 2021 – and quit playing silly games.”