#AnambraDecides: Obaze, ex-Anambra SSG, wins PDP guber primary

… as Oduah, Uba others protests

It was a tension soaked environment on Monday as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its governorship primary to select its candidate for the November 18 Anambra state election in Awka, the state capital.

The primary which was won by former Secretary to the state government under Mr. Peter Obi led All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) administration, Mr. Oseluka Obaze, witnessed a lot of drama as one of the aspirants withdrew from the race at the last minute and others openly protested the manner of the primary.

Before the commencement of accreditation of delegates at three designated locations in Awka, including Emaus House, J-Jumac Hotel and Alexandria Hotel, one of the governorship aspirants, former Minister of State for Transportation, Prince John Emeka, withdrawn from the race for the ticket of the party citing irregularities in the party’s delegates’ list for his decision to back out of the race.

In a statement announcing his withdrawal from the race, Emeka alleged that the delegates list was mutilated by some top members of the party.

Also unhappy with the way the delegates list for the primary was handled, chairman of Capital Oil, Ifeanyi Uba, former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Oduah, a member of the House of Representatives, Lynda Ikpeazu were all said to have staged a protest at the venue of the primaries over what they termed unwillingness of the party to listen to the yearnings of aspirants.

Speaking in a telephone interview with another media house, Mr. Anayo Ekeanya, Special Adviser, Media to Senator Stella Oduah confirmed that the Senator was among four other aspirants who staged a protest in Awka.

Ekeanya confirmed that other people who protested included: Ikpeazu; Uba, as well as former Minister of State for Transportation, Prince John Emeka, who backed out of the race.

According to him, the Senator threatened to abstain from the race if the party does not consider the demands of the aspirants over the delegates’ conference which was marred with irregularities.

Oduah noted that the aspirants would not allow the party to begin another era of imposition.
She maintained that she would protest to the end or abstain from the primaries if the party does not revisit the
delegates’ conference.

Oduah alleged that the returning officers of the conference personally filled the result sheets that was submitted in Abuja and discarded the one used for the conference.

Obaze, a former diplomat polled 672 votes to beat his closest rival in the party primary, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, who got 190 votes.

Another top contender in the race, Dr. Uba polled 94 votes.

A total of 958 delegates were accredited and equally cast their votes in the primary, but two votes were voided.
Delegates for the primary include Alex Obiogbolu, Ifeanyi Ubah, Oseloka Obaze, Linda Ikpeazu and Stella Oduah.

They, however, called on the PDP Delegate Appeal Panel led by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State to look into the matter.

Patrick Okohue, Lagos, Alphonsus Nweze & John Ndu Awka