Primaries tear PDP into pieces: Confusion over list of party’s candidates THERE is confusion in the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party over the list of the winners of the party’s recently conducted primaries across the country. While the outcome of the primaries have seen different aspirants claiming victory in the same election, others said there were no such exercises in their states For example, a former National Chairman of the party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, is claiming victory over the outcome of the primary in the Enugu North Senatorial District. His claim was however contrary to the results submitted by the electoral panel led by Senator Anthony Manzo, which declared Chukwuka Utazi as the candidate. At the Manzo- supervised election, which was held at the Government Field, Nsukka, Utazi polled 324 votes, to beat Nwodo who scored four votes. Dr. Martin Oke scored three votes. But at another primary, Nwodo was pronounced the winner of the primary. The situation is even more worrisome in Anambra State, where in Anambra South, Senator Andy Ubah and his brother, Chief Chris Ubah, are claiming victory in their respective primaries. Also in Anambra North, a former Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, and a former Minister of Water and Transport, John Emeka, said they won the primaries. In Anambra Central, a member of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, claimed victory while in the same zone, Senator Annie Okonkwo, said he had been declared winner in another primary . Other aspirants such as Senator Margery Okadigbo, who is representing Anambra North in the Senate at present; Dr. Obiora Okonkwo and Joy Emodi are alleged to be laying claims to victory . Also in Enugu State, Senator Ayogu Eze has insisted that he remains the only governorship candidate of the party validly elected during last Monday’s primary in Enugu State. But Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was announced as the winner at a parallel primary in the state. Eze dismissed claims that two parallel primaries were held, saying ‘’there was only one primary at which the genuine delegates, elected on November 1, 2014, voted for me out of their free will.’’ The confusion over the directive from the members of the PDP National Working Committee that its Ogun State chapter must not conduct last Monday’s governorship primary is still vibrating. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, told our correspondent that stakeholders of the party said that they did not get the directive on time. He said this was the reason they gave when they (the stakeholders) came to make presentations to the NWC members. The directive, which was sent to the Ogun State chapter of the party by the NWC and signed by Metuh said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC hereby states that it did not authorise any governorship primary in Ogun State. “Consequently, any such exercise held in Ogun State is hereby declared null and void and of no effect. A new date will be communicated for the primary.” Instead of obeying the directive, the party in the state went ahead with the primary and elected Gboyega Isiaka as the governorship candidate. The action has however been rejected by a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole. Bankole, one of the governorship aspirants in the party, insisted that he is still in the race. Metuh, who spoke with our correspondent on the crisis and multiple claims by aspirants, said, “Members of our Ogun State chapter of our party have made representations to us. They said that they didn’t get our directive on time and that they only got it through the media after the excercise had been concluded. “We are looking at the issue, but I can tell you that we will release the list of the winners of all the primaries this week.” Asked whether the party has made its mind on Ogun State, he said he would not want to make any categorical statement on it yet. Source: THEPUNCH Short URL: osundefender.org/?p=200099
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 08:31:47 +0000
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