There are indications that two separate candidates may emerge as candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State from today’s governorship primaries ahead of gubernatorial elections scheduled to hold on 16th November 2013.
From the Ejike Oguebego faction loyal to Chris Uba, Senator Andy Uba, representing Anambra South in National Assembly may emerge from the primaries at Emmaus House in Awka, while a separate candidate may emerge from the faction led by Prince Ken Emeakayi at the primaries scheduled for the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square.
State Publicity Secretary of the party, Ngozi Agudosi confirmed the venue of the Emeakayi-led primaries, guaranteeing security and assuring on its fairness. From this primary, the favourites to emerge as candidate are the quartet of Walter Ubaka Okeke, Akachukwu Nwankpo, Tony Nwoye, Obinna Uzoh and Nicholas Ukachukwu.
While the status of the PDP candidate remains hazy, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued trudging on, already presenting erstwhile Governor of the state, Senator Chris Ngige as its candidate. At the unveiling event at Emmaus House, leaders of the party described the Anambra election as an apt index for measuring APC’s chances at the 2015 general elections.
In Adamawa State where yet another scenario of crisis in the national PDP is unfurling, Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. James Bala Ngillarri is reported to be rounding off arrangements to hand in his resignation next week, in protest of the reduction of his monthly allocation from N46m to N13m.
What had been a solid relationship between Ngillarri and his boss, Governor Murtala Nyako began crumbling due to Ngillari’s relationship with National Chairman of the, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, with whom the governor has been feuding.
Director of Press to the Governor on Public Affairsr, Alhaji Ahmad Sajo confirmed the reduction in the Ngillari’s monthly allocation, saying, “The governor only reduced the monthly allocation for diesel in Government House and the deputy governor’s office is also part of government house. People should know that it is not only the office of the deputy governor; other sectors were also affected.”
In his own clarification, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Kobis Ari Thaminu confirmed the reduction of the cost of running the Government House but expressed belief that it is impossible to prevent the deputy governor from visiting the national chairman of the party.
“I see nothing wrong with the deputy governor visiting Tukur,” he said. “He is the national chairman of our party and as bonafide members of the party, we cannot avoid visiting him.”
However, he refused to accept that governor and his deputy were suffering a breakdown in relationship, saying such insinuations are merely the handiwork of political mischief makers. He also denied knowledge of the impending resignation of the deputy governor.
In Ekiti State, meanwhile, an Ado-Ekiti High Court has denied granting an order restraining PDP from holding its South-West Zonal Congress initially scheduled for Saturday in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State.
According to Justice O.I.O. Ogunyemi, the publication in a newspaper that such order was granted is false and misleading.
Reacting to stories of the supposedly court-occasioned postponement of the zonal congress, lead counsel to the defendants, Prince Ajibola Oluyede implored the court to bring contempt charges against the claimants — former Ekiti State Governor and former National Vice Chairman of PDP, Chief Olusegun Oni and former Zonal Financial Secretary of the party, Mr. Ireti Oniyide — for alleged breach of court processes and misleading the public.
But their lawyer, Mr. Olalekan Olatawura refuted accusations that his clients were responsible for the publication, arguing that the publication is a public document that anyone could easily obtain for verifications.
