ANAMBRA 2013: Why we called for rerun of APC primary – Election observer

on September 09, 2013 / in Politics 12:15 am / Commen


By Emmanuel Aziken, VINCENT UJUMADU & TONY EDIKE

The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations on Election Observation and Monitoring in Nigeria, which monitored the recent governorship primaries of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State has said that its recommendation that the exercise be repeated was due to alleged anomalies it observed during the exercise.

After the exercise that took place in all the 326 wards in the state, with Senator Chris Ngige winning by a wide margin of 63255 votes against Godwin Ezemo’s 9554 votes, the group said it could not endorse it because it lacked credibility and fairness.

The group said: “If open primaries should be held without delegates as we saw during APC’s 2nd September, 2013 gubernatorial primaries, INEC should ensure the deployment of security officials in all the polling units to protect and secure the life of the voters and also checkmate the snatching of ballot result sheets.

“We also noticed late or non arrival of voting materials at some polling units, as well as snatching of result sheets. And even when some of the snatched result sheets were recovered by party officials, they were tampered with and manipulated in favour of a particular candidate,” the group said.

Arthur Eze blames Anambra PDP crisis on greed, selfishness
billionaire businessman, Prince Arthur Eze, has said that the crisis that rocked the Anambra state chapter of the PDP was as a result of greed and selfishness by her leaders.

He vowed to put all in his ability to ensure that the scenario which, according to him, weakened the party in the state and made it impossible for it to retain power , does not repeat itself, stressing that the process of rebuilding the party had begun.

Eze, who reaffirmed his support for the candidacy of Comrade Tony Nwoye as the PDP flag-bearer for the November 16 governorship election , said there was no going back in restoring the state to PDP just as he expressed confidence that the party would take charge of Anambra Government House from February next year.

Speaking at Ukpo in Dunukofia local government during the presentation of campaign vehicles and motorcycles to party wards over the weekend, Eze stated that there was no going back in the choice of Nwoye, who he said, has the capacity to lead the state to the path of progress and prosperity.


Soludo, Ogene, Odenigbo, Uzoh, Mrs. Ekwunife , Okonkwo, Ndubuisi and Ifeanyi Uba

He, therefore, asked members of the party who are aggrieved over the conduct of the party’s gubernatorial primaries to throw their support behind Nwoye and wait for another opportunity in future.

He said, “There cannot be two candidates at the same time and going from one court to another will not invalidate the mandate given to Nwoye. Those who are going to court are the ones that destroyed PDP in the state. They have had their turn but now, it will no longer be so. We must restore this party to serve the interest of our people; we must show that Anambra is for PDP.

The mistakes and bickering of the past have robbed us the chances of ruling the state. We are no longer in support of these troubles by certain elements who feel they own the party. It is either they fall in line or they leave the party for good”.

Only unity can make PDP win poll — Okeke
Chief Ugochukwu Okeke, one of the governorship aspirants that participated in the recently -concluded PDP primaries in Anambra has called on stakeholders of the party to close ranks and work for the upliftment and strengthening of the party, arguing that only a united PDP could win the Novemebr 16 election in Anambra State.

In a statement in Awka weekend, Okeke recalled that it was party crisis that had been responsible for the inability of PDP to produce the governor in the state despite its love by the people and reminded the party leaders that it is not late to chart a winning course before the November election.

While enjoining the major players in the current dispute to put personal interests aside and work for the oneness and togetherness of PDP, he observed that it is necessary for the party to produce the next governor od the state so as to be in good standing before the 2015 general election.

He urged all party faithful in the state to be loyal to the President Goodluck Jonathan and give him total and undiluted support needed to move the country to greater heights.

He insisted that Anambra needs a good candidate that would serve and transform the state, adding that the earlier those fueling the crisis realized that their actions would only be counter productive, the better for everybody.

Ubah on his international motivations
Billionaire businessman, Chief Ifeanyi Uba has said that he is motivated by the success other great businessmen in other lands made in the political arena.

In his manifesto made available to Vanguard, Uba links his political adventure to the successes made by Governor Nelson Rockefeller, the tenacity of Nelson Mandela among others.

He said: “Some wonder why I chose to run for Governor. I believe that successful businessmen and women can make great leaders; one such icon is Nelson Rockefeller, former Governor of New York. As governor, Rockefeller vastly increased the state’s role in education, environmental protection, transportation, housing, healthcare, welfare and the arts. I am in the race to do the same for Anambra.

“I am inspired by the tenacity, selflessness and statesmanship of the legendary Nelson Mandela, who put the public good above self. I am also inspired by the transformative actions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai.

In his instructive words: “Most people talk, we do things. They plan, we achieve. They hesitate, we move ahead. We are living proof that when human beings have the courage and commitment to transform a dream into reality, there is nothing that can stop them.” Those words reflect the philosophy behind my business achievement and drive my quest to make Anambra great, again.”

Nwoye’s PDP ticket
Despite assertions by the PDP hierarchy that it had concluded its primaries and chosen Comrade Tony Nwoye as its gubernatorial candidate, there are fears that the party is facing increasing pressure to reverse the decision in favour of Senator Andy Uba.

The pressure from interested parties it was learnt, follows suggestions from some sympathetic to Uba, that Nwoye at 38, is too young to be a governor. They are also alleging that he may not have the financial clout to fight the contest.

However, those supportive of Nwoye are spoiling for a fight asserting that removing the ticket from Nwoye to Uba could spell the doom for the PDP given what they claim as the fact that Nwoye successfully fought off money bags through his activism on ground to grab the party’s ticket.

Supporters of Nwoye who are mostly youths are also affirming that they have the majority of the voting population who would come out on that day to vote.

Some are alleging that Senator Uba’s emergence as governorship candidate in Anambra State could become part of the deal that former President Olusegun Obasanjo could extract from President Jonathan to settle the ensuing crisis rocking the foundations of the PDP.

Party elders within and outside the state are, however, calling for caution warning that dislocating the ticket could be another way of PDP losing the state.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/anambra-2013-why-we-called-for-rerun-of-apc-primary-election-observer/#sthash.2M16tk61.dpuf

Lol

Sai APC.

NGIGE couldnt even win his party's primaries without rigging! A rude shock awaits APC and Ngige come November 16. Ndi ara

kingbang: NGIGE couldnt even win his party's primaries without rigging! A rude shock awaits APC and Ngige come November 16. Ndi ara

no mind them.

Is Godwin Ezeomo complaining??

Godwin always knew Ngige was going to win him fair and square so he accepted his defeat in good faith.

I wonder why some PDP flies and cockroaches are weeping louder the Ezeomo...

Akamu and Stew: Is Godwin Ezeomo complaining??

Godwin always knew Ngige was going to win him fair and square so he accepted his defeat in good faith.

I wonder why some PDP flies and cockroaches are weeping louder the Ezeomo...

Why would Ezemmou or whatever complain? When the jagbajanti of lagos has decreed that Ngige be given the ticket. The point here is the fact that APC lacks internal democracy and that is a tragedy having it in my mind that this is a party that seeks to unseat PDP.

kingbang:

Why would Ezemmou or whatever complain? When the jagbajanti of lagos has decreed that Ngige be given the ticket. The point here is the fact that APC lacks internal democracy and that is a tragedy having it in my mind that this is a party that seeks to unseat PDP.

No mind am jare.CPC and ANPP have aready pulled out from the APC