By Okey Maduforo
The victory of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the last
gubernatorial election in Anambra State has brought about stiff battle among
new members of the party from the Peoples Democratic (PDP) who are seeking for
the Senate and Federal House of Representatives nomination tickets ahead of the
2019 general election.
Confirmed reports indicate that this is a product of the support by top
PDP chieftains to Governor Willie Obiano during the November 2017 governorship
election in Anambra against their own former party, the PDP.
The PDP chieftains supported Obiano in protest over the
nomination of Oseloka Obaze whose governorship candidacy
they alleged was manipulated by former Governor Peter Obi.
So far incumbent Senator Stella Odua is as good as clinching
the APGA Senatorial ticket of Anambra North District while Prince
Nicholas Ukachukwu was said to have been promised the senatorial
ticket of Anambra South District.
However, the CEO of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd, Ifeanyi Ubah who also
worked for the victory of Obiano was allegedly promised the same
ticket of Anambra South and this is already brewing crisis within the
ranks of APGA in the state.
Though neither the state chairman of APGA nor the National Chairman, Chief Victor Oye, has offered to comment on this development,
Ubah has commenced campaign within the party, insisting that it
had already been concluded that he would fly the party’s flag come
2019 general election.
What appears to be danger locking in the dark is the alleged
agreement between Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
and Obiano that he would be returned for the third time under APC
platform, following his alleged assistance to the governor in the
November 2017 election in the state.
Other decampees of the PDP who appear to be sure of getting the APGA
ticket include former Speaker Anambra State House of Assembly, Chief
Anayo Nnebe, who currently represents Awka North and South Federal
Constituency, Chief Ben Nwankwo of Orumba North and South, Majority
Leader of Anambra Assembly, Prince Humphrey Nsofor, is to pick the
ticket of Nnewi Federal Constituency.
But as at the time of this report, founding members of APGA are
already protesting what they called the imposition of PDP members as
candidates of APGA for the 2019 general election.
They insist that there should not be any automatic ticket for any
Aspirant, expressing fears that the new entrants into the party would
surely leave the party when they win.
At a meeting in a popular hotel in Awka over the weekend the members
who addressed themselves as APGA Integrity Forum (AIF) concluded to
meet with the governor, National Chairman of the party and members of
the Board of Trustees in order to register their anger.
“We shall respect constituted authority and hold meetings with the
Governor, National Chairman and BOT members of our party.
“There must be internal democracy in APGA and all aspirants should
subject themselves to the primaries which is the electoral process in
line with the constitution of our party.
“We would resist any attempt by persons or group of persons to impose
anybody on us and these PDP elements would surely leave our party and
return to PDP once they win,” one of the members said.
