They’re jokers –Adeyeye

From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi

A  group called the Authentic Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee, made up of 27 Council Committee Chairmen, has reportedly sacked the state Committee Chairman, Professor Alphonsus  Nwosu  and the secretary, Josephine Anenih.

In a statement issued by 10 of the committee members including a former Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Humphrey Nsofor, the group said it was opposed to the candidacy of Osaeloka Obaze, insisting that he was imposed on the party by ex -Governor Peter Obi. Reacting to the development, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Dayo Adeyeye described the action as null and void.

“It is a huge joke. The Anambra State caretaker committee was set up by the  National Caretaker Committee, which is empowered by the PDP constitution to do so. It is a huge joke for some persons to purport to dissolve it, and they should be ignored,” Adeyeye said.

The group said: “We want our party to win the election so we can return to power after 11 years of being in the wilderness. The current situation where just three persons have high-jacked the PDP in the state and fiercely insist on forcing their decisions down the throats of every party member is dangerous and unacceptable”.

The group said it believes that there was room for remedy, if critical steps were taken urgently, adding that it finds it odd that the National Secretary of PDP, Senator Ben Obi, had not bothered to ask questions. The group alleged that Obi handpicked Obaze, his running mate, the campaign Director General and other members of the campaign team, insisting that none of those persons were members of the PDP but belonged to the Martin Agboso faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

“We recently called the attention of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) to the brazen impunity of our former committee’s chairman, Professor Alphonsus Nwosu and the former secretary, Josephine Anenih as well as ex Governor Peter Obi. We raised the red flag to save the party from these three persons. Because our earlier words of caution went unheeded, the situation has clearly gone from bad to worse,” the group said.

It further said it took the decision to suspend Professor Nwosu and Mrs. Anenih as chairman and secretary of the party, and have since appointed Nsofor and Chidi Nwazojie to take their place, adding that a seven-man disciplinary committee has been set up led by Okechukwu Okpara to look into some of the issues and that all the appointments made by the former chairman remained null and void.


 

INEC to  present voter register today

From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will today present the Voters Register in preparation for the forthcoming election.  Consequently the Commission has invited all stakeholders and party leaders for the presentation which is in line with the electoral act and guideline.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, who announced today’s event told journalists that the Commission would use the opportunity to inform stakeholders of the preparations it has made for the election.

INEC had on September 26, 2017, published the names of 37 governorship candidates, their running mates and political parties for the November 18 poll.

The Commission had also said it would need 6,500 card reader machines to successfully conduct the election, saying that of the number, it confirmed  that it had tested 5, 000 machines.

While assuring a free and credible election, Orji said, “INEC is ready for the election and anybody or group who thinks otherwise is on his own. The Commission has said it many times that the November 18 date is sacrosanct.”

 


 

Old Aguata group rejects zoning, endorses Enemuo

From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

A group known as the Leaders of Thought from the Old Aguata Union (OAU) has rejected the zoning agreement said to have been adopted by stakeholders in the state.

The group said this when it met at the home town of the Labour Party candidate, Dr. Chris Okey-Enemuo in Ekwulobia,  Aguata Local government Area.

It alleged that the purported zoning agreement was a ploy instituted by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) during the tenure of former Governor Peter Obi.

Related News

The leaders of the Union in the three Local Governments that comprises Old Agauta Union, promised to support any of the two candidates from Old Aguata who are vying for the governorship seat, a move that they hope would ensure the Union produces the next governor.

The Chairman of the Union in Orumba South, Mr. Austin Nwafor, said that what the Union leaders are advocating for is equity, fairness and transparency in the election, urging other blocs in the state to support them in their quest to produce the next governor.

The Old Aguata Union comprises Orumba North, Orumba South and Agauta Local Government Areas, an area they allege had not seen any significant development over the years.

 


 

Group hails Obaze on peaceful campaign

By Zika Bobby

A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), United for Zero Election Violence (UZV), has hailed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Oseloka  Obaze  for advocating a non- violent campaign for the November 18 election.

The founder of the group, Chief Emeka Nwabueze, lauded those who spoke during  the PDP campaign flag off held in Onitsha and Akwa, saying that their call for a violence free election was commendable, stressing that a peaceful atmosphere  is healthy for the state.

Nwabueze, who was an Advisor of Science and Technology to former President George W. Bush of the United States, also commended the State Commissioner of Police, Garba  Umar and other security agencies for their cooperation on the campaign.

He urged candidates of other political parties in the race and their supporters to emulate the PDP and security agencies to preach peace to their supporters.

On his part, the co-founder of the group, Chief Chima Onwuzuruike, asked operators of social media to desist from posting comments capable of spreading hate and tension.

 


 

Mbah, Ojiba may emerge coalition consensus candidate

From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha

About 32 political parties that fielded candidates for the November 18 election are reportedly planning to adopt a consensus candidate.

Daily Sun gathered that the decision to adopt a candidate was due to the alleged nonchalance of  candidates of the major parties who they complain always shun activities in which all political parties were meant to participate.

One of the parties involved in the plan told Daily Sun that the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), United Progressive Party (UPP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), shunned the recent debate organised by the Interparty Advisory Committee (IPAC ) and did not bother to inform the organisers on the reason for their absence.

The source said that 32 other parties who participated in the debate had series of meetings thereafter, where the suggestion to back one candidate who can win the election came up.

“The bigger parties, most especially APGA, PDP and APC treat at us as if we are pretenders in the race but they fail to realize that politics is a game of numbers. If we play our cards well and put selfish considerations aside, we can form a coalition and defeat those who think that they are the real contenders.  It will surprise them but we will do it,” the source said.

On the candidate that may emerge in event of a coalition, Daily Sun gathered that the choices are between Obiora  Mbah of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Ojiba Ejoh of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN).

But the odds favour Ojiba because he comes from Onitsha, Anambra North zone which is likely to produce the next governor.  Mbah is from Anambra Central which produced Chris Ngige and Peter Obi as governors, though Ngige’s election was annulled by the Supreme Court.