Against the groundswell of litigations in the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and repositioning of forces in the contending political parties for the November 18 Anambra state governorship election, JOHN NWOKOCHA writes that the stake is between APGA and UPP
With the November 18, 2017, Anambra State governorship election approaching, political parties have begun intense battle for control of the state, raising the stake for the number one seat in the state. Prominent among the 46 registered political parties contesting to control the Anambra Government House, come November, are: United Progressive Party (UPP), Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Hope Democratic Party.
But the ruling party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), is still grappling with leadership deepening leadership crisis occasioning litigations. Th e legal tussle has not helped the party. Rather, the battle of leadership at diff erent levels of the court has divided APGA the more. So while others are visibly mobilizing support for their parties at the grassroots, APGA is currently engrossed in its crisis. Any keen observer will notice the increasing alignments and re-alignments, jostle and intrigues within the political parties in a bid to not only strengthen their platform, but also woe aspirants for the elections. With the crisis in the party yet to be resolved observers believe that it is uncertain if APGA will fi eld the incumbent Governor, Willie Obiano as its candidate.
Yet, the party according to fi llers is doing everything within its power to retain the governorship seat. Only recently, Blueprint reported that the lingering crisis in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) may have prevent the party from fi ling a candidate for the forthcoming Anambra November 18, gubernatorial poll ahead of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dead line for commencement of political party primary campaign on August 18, and conduct of part primary billed to hold from 22nd July to 2nd September, 2017.
Th is was as a result of Justice Chukwudi C. Okaa of Nnewi High Court, who on Tuesday, July 18 barred the party loyal to Martins Agbaso as National Chairman from conducting APGA party primary following a motion fi led to that eff ect by Victor Oye and 21 other APGA faithful on the side of Governor Willie Obiano. Blueprint recalls that Enugu State High Court presided over by Justice A.R. Ozoemena on May 22, 2017 granted an order of mandamus, compelling INEC and police to abide by the decision of APGA in recognizing Chief Martin Agabso as the acting National Chairman of the party instead of Oye. APGA had through its National Working Committee on November 2016, sacked Oye, and replaced him with late Ozo Nwabueze Okafor, former Vice Chairman of the party (Southeast), followed by counter court cases. Order of Mandamus Agbaso, in line with the order of mandamus, conveyed his letter of party primary slated to hold on August 17, 2017 to the electoral body, notifying the Commission of their planned primaries for November 18 Anambra governorship election, as well as the appeal court ruling affi rming the order of mandamus given by the Enugu high court to their favour. Anambra 2017: Can APGA’s dilemma, UPP’s power quest upturn status quo?
\Any keen observer will notice the increasing alignments and re-alignments, jostle and intrigues within the political parties in a bid to not only strengthen their platform But Governor Obiano on his own may have impressed the average electorate going by his achievements in offi ce. Interestingly, the country’s political space is becoming increasingly dynamic as voters become more enlightened and discerning in deciding who they should vote. Equally interesting, the general polity is experiencing issue-based campaigns and winning elections, the contestants have to convince the voters that they understand the issues aff ecting them. While APGA has yet to put its house in order, creating uncertainties in the atmosphere, political parties like the UPP has begun to show strong presence in Anambra state. On June 29, the UPP launched its presence with its national convention.
Th e convention was reportedly record breaker in the history of party conventions in the country and sent jitters to APGA in particular, because thousands of APGA members and supporters in the state defected to UPP, and spoke in favour of the party’s chances during the convention. Th e leaders of UPP believe that the November 18 governorship battle is between it and other parties. Political analysts believe the party has gained fi rm roots in Anambra state. Th e believe UPP has gained acceptability among the people as its guiding philosophy and manifestos address pressing questions that need answers in the state and is good stead to take over control of power in the state. Exuding confi dence, the national chairman of UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, Okorie, declared recently, that that the UPP would win the November 18 gubernatorial election. “I can tell you without fear that Anambra election is for UPP, we don’t have a major contender,” Okorie said. Continuing, Okorie stated: “UPP is the party of the people; it is the party with the true spirit of Anambra; a party that thinks about the people and their welfare.
Th at is why you see a lot of people coming into our fold. Th ese amongst other factors will largely determine the winner. Th e election would ultimately amount to the battle of the real ‘Igbo’ party between UPP and APGA. Anambra elections would not be won only in Anambra alone but with serious infl uence of stakeholders in Lagos and Abuja.” For PDP, the protracted leadership fi ght hit the party in a manner akin to political tsunami. Th e once biggest political party in the country lost many of its seats in both chambers of the National Assembly and state assemblies. Unfortunately for the PDP during the crisis period, it lost the Edo, Kogi and Ondo governorship elections.
Even though the Supreme Court recently resolved the leadership logjam in the party, the PDP leadership is currently engrossed with reconciling with its aggrieved members defected. And observers believe that this is a major task for the party to handle, in order to prepare adequately for the 2019 general elections. According to Blueprint checks, the PDP has not begun campaigns in Anambra state. As at the time of going to press it could not be ascertained whether the party will fi eld candidate for the November17 poll.
It is doubtful if the defectors will return to the party immediately. One of the defectors to UPP was a chieftain of PDP, Chief Osita Chidoka, has started his campaigns and mobilization for the election. Chidoka joined the governorship race just few days to the UPP’s convention. Th e former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and Minister for Aviation under ex President Goodluck Jonathan, Chidoka said during a recent voters’ mobilization in the state: “I will replicate what I did at the FRSC and the Ministry of Aviation in Anambra state if given the mandate in the coming elections in November this year. I am ready to serve the people in any capacity even as a councilor because no position is too small or big for me as long as it is service to the people. Since my youth service years, I have been involved in volunteer service; so the driving motive for this ambition is to serve the people of the state.” Similarly the Anambra state chapter of APC fi nds itself in both leadership and confi dence crises. One of the aspirants Chief George Moghalu, had boasted that he was the candidate to beat, Moghalu, who is also the national auditor of the party was reported as saying that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, had endorsed him as candidate of the party for the November election. But the minister has denied claims that he had endorsed Moghalu. Ngige said that he called a meeting of stakeholders of the party, including governorship aspirants and urged them that the party should look for a consensus candidate for the poll or trim down the aspirants to two. Speaking with journalists in Anambra weekend the minister said: “We’ve appealed to all our aspirants to go and think about our decision and make concessions as appropriate before our next meeting”. Ngige added that the APC primary in the state would come between August 12 and 19. By implication, the APC has not decided on the candidate fi eld for the election yet. Th is leaves the contest between UPP and APGA. But as they say, in politics 244 hours is enough to change the equation. Judging from the unfolding scenarios, the fi ght for the soul of Anambra state is a wait see.
