Anambra 2021: INEC exclusion ‘merely procedural,’ as PDP upbeat on winning poll
Despite exclusion and that of its candidate, Valentine Ozigbo in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) freshly-released list of candidates cleared to vie for the November 6 Governorship election in Anambra, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South East zone insists it win the forthcoming poll in the state.
INEC, Friday, had omitted the official candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Valentine Ozigbo, from the list of aspirants cleared to contest the November 6 Governorship election in Anambra state.
Also, the commission dropped the name of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) from its list of candidates for the November poll.
Incidentally, the dropped candidates of PDP and APGA were produced by the factions of the parties already recognized by INEC, as the latter sent its official s to monitor the primary of both political parties.
INEC, in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, however, cited Court Order for exclusion of the party.
However the Commission cleared the candidate of the other APGA faction Chukwuma Micheal Umeoji for the poll, leaving the fate of Soludo, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, hanging.
It would also be recalled that while the breakaway Chukwudi Umeaba-led faction held its primary at the Paul University playground in Awka, the party recognized Ndubuisi Nwobu-faction held its primary at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, all on Saturday, June 26.
The Umeaba faction had announced Senator Ugochukwu Uba as the party’s candidate for the November 6 governorship poll, as its Returning Officer, Chief Obidi Ebede, said Uba defeated his closest rival, Godwin Ezeemo with 275 against 114 votes. Ebede said there were 665 accredited delegates.
The Nwobu faction which had the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, and who also doubles as Secretary of the Anambra State Governorship Primary Electoral Committee of the PDP, held its own primary Valentine Chineto Ozigbo of the governorship primary election in Anambra state.
Ozigbo secured 62 votes to clinch the ticket beating the popular Obiora Okonkwo who scored a total of 58 votes to place second in the primary.
However, reacting to the exclusion of the party and its candidate, Ozigbo from the poll, Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, in a statement, Friday, Mr Augustine Elochukwu Okeke, described INEC’s position on its candidate as ‘merely procedural’ adding that it does not imply the party will not participate in the election.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released a list of candidates for the November 06, 2021, Anambra governorship election which notably did not include the candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“To this end, the PDP South East Zone, wishes to reassure our teeming supporters and the general public, that the non-inclusion of the name of PDP’s candidate in the list by INEC is procedural and does not imply that PDP will not participate in the coming election.
“One would recall that faced with multiple litigations during the Imo North Senatorial bye-election, INEC took a similar stance by not including a candidate’s name for the All Progressive Congress in the list.
“The considerable public interest, commentaries and concern shown by Nigerians who are worried about the non-inclusion of PDP in the list, is a testament to the acceptance of PDP as the party that Nigerians and Anambra people implicitly and absolutely trust to deliver good governance for Anambra people.
“The PDP, South East Zone heartily appreciates this concern and the solidarity Nigerians have continued to accord PDP and hereby, re-assures Nigerians of our commitment to deliver good governance in Anambra state,” he said.
