Season of controversies over primaries

PDP’s protest Similarly, last week, aggrieved aspirants to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the November 18 governorship race have condemned the primary through which Mr Oseloka Obaze, a former Secretary to the State Government, emerged winner with 672 votes out of a total of 958 delegates that took part in the exercise.

Precisely last Monday, Chairman Capital Oil, Ifeanyi Uba , Senator Stella Oduah, former Minister of State for Transportation, Prince John Emeka and a member of the House of Representatives, Lynda Ikpeazu , staged a protest at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, venue of the election which was conducted amidst tight security, over what they described as unwillingness of PDP to listen to the yearnings of aspirants.

Th ree other contestants, John Emeka, a former minister; Linda Ikpeazu, representing Onitsha North and South federal constituency in the House of Representatives, and Akaolisa Ufodike had earlier announced their withdrawal from the race.

Also, offi cials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were present to monitor the election.

Case of hijacking, sabotage Only on Friday, Senator Oduah while addressing newsmen, said that ward congress of the party held penultimate Wednesday to elect three delegates per ward was fraught with “irregularities and sabotage’’.

“As if the case of hijacking was not enough, the ultimate result of the ward congress which was submitted by the Secretary of the panel was switched for a doctored result.

“Th e exercise violated all known principles of democratic practice.

Several complaints have continued to trail the exercise as most party faithful are disgruntled and agitated,’’ Oduah said.

Furthermore, she disclosed that she had petitioned the National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, Sen.

Ahmed Makarfi , over the matter, and threatened to withdraw from the primary if the party failed to address the problem.

“Based on the above, I wrote to notify the chairman of my protest and intention to withdraw from the 2017 gubernatorial primaries in Anambra if the party fails to address the issues presented.

“Th is is because the approach employed for the party primary is not aimed at winning election.

“Th e implication of this is to subject loyal party faithful to stressful and rancorous primary to weaken and sap the strength of candidate that will emerge from the exercise.

“It should be recalled that this has been the reason our party has been losing gubernatorial elections in Anambra,’’ she said.

Besides, there have been accusations and counter accusations over the party’s delegates list, with some aspirants complaining of the party’s rank being infi ltrated by members of other political parties, with the hope of disrupting the emergence of the party’s choice candidate.

UPP’s share of controversy As for the United Progressive Party (UPP), in its preparations for the November 18 guber poll the party’s primary election to pick a candidate for the contest was engulfed in confusion.

Th e Anambra State chairman of UPP, Chief Sylvester Igwilo had announced the suspension from the party, of the two aspirants cleared by the national leadership of the party, Osita Chidoka and Chudi Off odile, a day to the primary, accusing them of anti-party activities aimed at undermining the authority of the state executive.

Chidoka, former Minister of Aviation and Off odile, former member of House of Representatives were screened and cleared last Friday to contest in the primary by the national headquarters.

Suspension of offi cials But, barely four hours after Igwilo announced their suspension, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party which met in Abuja, dissolved the Igwilo-led Anambra State Executive Committee and slammed an indefi nite suspension on him for alleged rebellion against the party.

A statement by the National Secretary of the party, Sadeeq Masalla, said the dissolution became necessary following alleged “rebellion by some misguided members of the acting State Working Committee (SWC) of our party in Anambra State which was carried out through a press conference addressed by Dr. Sylvester Igwilo, the acting State Chairman of the Party.” Suspended along with them was Ifeanyi Okonkwo, a governorship aspirant who was not successful in the screening.

Th e action was meted on him for his alleged culpability in the alleged acts of rebellion against the leadership of the party.

On the issue of suspension and counter suspension, National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, assured that the move to produce the candidate of the party was on course and was not threatened by the action of “elements hired to derail the party.

” Th e party went ahead and conducted the primary and Chidoka emerged winner.

Even though the party’s leadership has vowed that nothing will derail its preparations for the main election, allegations of diversion of party funds and manner in which the screening was handled against other contestants is currently eliciting commentaries.

Th e oddity of electoral irregularities has blighted the parties for the November 18 contest, a development that is currently raising fears about future elections and democracy.

Ray of hope Nonetheless, there is an interesting as well as dramatic dimension to all these that has injected a ray of hope in the political atmosphere.

Th e expression of intent by some political neophytes in the state no doubt brought a fresh breath in the air and respite to the tension generated in the political space by some desperate contestants.

Prominent among the new entrants is Yul Edochie, a Nollywood actor and scion of a veteran Nollywood actor, Peter Edochie. Edochie emerged as Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC) candidate for the governorship poll, weekend.

Another new entrant is a popular hippo music star who goes by the name KC, although the young artiste is yet to announce the platform he will be contesting the forthcoming governorship election, the dark horses may make pleasant surprises.

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