By Cajetan Mmuta
Last week, the months of political horse-trading, lobbies, and campaigns of real and imagined promises ahead of party primaries came to an end. The exercise, which was laced with tension, anxieties, and violence across most states, was heralded by tales of winners, losers, and surprise packages.
In Anambra State, it was initially as if the parties won’t scale the hurdles of the deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the primary elections that would shore up the candidates for the epic battle next year.
As expected, the major parties in the contest for next year’s election are the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the All Progressives Congress (APC). All the other smaller political parties in the state have gone underground shortly after the November 6, 2021 governorship election which was soundly won by the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Prof Charles Soludo.
APGA Senatorial primary postponed over presence of armed thugs
However, the over two months old administration is battling to wriggle itself and the entire state out from the spate of insecurity following the reign of havoc laced with endless destructions and killings by hoodlums under the guise of unknown gunmen.
It is the rage of the senseless bloodletting and massive destruction as well as the setting of public properties ablaze that almost put a wage to the wheel of success to the just concluded party primaries, the inevitable violence by political thugs loyal to some of the aspirants, and participating political parties notwithstanding.
It is instructive to state that the rancorous outcome of some of the primaries has no doubt created a boom for legal turfs that will soon emerge from the courts before, during, and after next year’s elections. These are obvious given the hordes of insensitive political abracadabra, voodoo, desperation, arm-twisting, and evil schemes between forces at the state and national levels to edge out perceived weak opponents.
However, it needs to be stated that not all active political parties have concluded their party primaries. While the ruling APGA and PDP have rounded up theirs, the APC is yet to make it to the ring to ascertain the flag bearers ahead of the 2023 polls.
The ranks of the opposition PDP led by popular businessman Chief Chris Uba, a member, of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party had on Friday, May 27, 2022, held the National Assembly and State House of Assembly primaries. At an event held in Awka the state capital for the South senatorial election, Uba and Senator Stella Oduah were elected candidates of the party for South and North respectively while Senator Uche Ekwunife emerged as the party’s candidate for the 2023 elections for the Central senatorial district at a separate exercise held also in Awka capital town.
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Uba scored 338 votes to beat four others which include Mrs Ngozi Unegbu who scored seven votes, Valentine Ozigbo (three votes), Queen Peace (four votes ), and Dr Obinna Uzor who polled zero (0) votes.
Also, Senator Stella Oduah polled a total of 278 votes to emerge candidate for the Anambra North Senatorial zone of the state for the 2023 elections. Oduah who won the race for
the third term ticket defeated Dr Tony Nwoye who scored one vote and Chris John Emeka who scored zero votes respectively. A total of 297 accredited voters participated in the process.
Similarly, the incumbent senator representing Anambra Central District, Senator Ekwunife retained her hold on the PDP ticket for the third term. On his part, Chief Chinedu Obidigwe won his second term ticket for Anambra East and West Federal Constituency on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The exercise that produced Uba and Oduah was moved from the original venues in Anambra South and North Senatorial zones respectively to Awka town due to the challenge of insecurity in the areas while that of Senator Ekwunife was shifted for the same reason to Finotel Hotel in Awka the state capital.
The duo of Ekwunife and Obidigwe were however returned unopposed because they had no aspirant contesting against them but in line with the Electoral Act and the constitution of the PDP and APGA, the delegates voted for them.
The Chairman of the panel for Anambra State PDP National Assembly primaries, Mr Alfred Isename, who announced the results at about 4:59pm declared Chris Uba as the winner of the Anambra South senatorial district having scored the majority votes of 338 to beat his opponents.
He said that a total of 354 were accredited for the exercise, 353 votes were cast, and one invalid vote.
Oduah, in her reaction, thanked God for seeing her through, adding that her emergency would spur her to do more for the people of the Northern constituency.
The process was observed by Mr. Ifeanyi Ogbonna, an electoral officer representing Mr. Ibeh U. Ibeh who is the Head of the INEC team. The member representing Ihiala 2 state constituency and Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly Chief Paschal Agbodike defeated the incumbent member of the House of Representatives Emeka Moma in the primary election of Ihiala Federal Constituency with 57 votes to zero. Moma was reported to have withdrawn from the contest though he was recorded to have scored zero votes.
Also, Mr Emeka Ike defeated incumbent National Assembly member Chinedu Onwuaso in the Awka North and South Federal Constituency primary election of the People’s Democratic Party PDP.
Obi Nwankwo, a former Commissioner for Environment in the state defeated Chief Ekweazor in the Awka North and South Federal Constituency primary of APGA.
Recall that the PDP senatorial aspirant for Anambra South Senatorial District, Obinna Uzor withdrew from the race, saying that he has no confidence in the electoral process. The exercise was, however, generally peaceful as delegates turned out en-masse and there was adequate security by armed anti-riot policemen at the various venues.
Delegates had queued according to their local government areas to cast their votes to elect their choice candidates during the exercise.
On their part, the APGA Anambra North Senatorial Primaries which was initially postponed on Saturday 28th of May over security breaches by armed thugs who invaded Otuocha the headquarters of Anambra East local government area.
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The report of the heightened insecurity had forced the APGA National electoral officers to suddenly postpone the planned conduct of the Anambra North Senatorial district primary election in the area.
Investigations revealed that hundreds of heavily armed thugs loyal to one of the contestants in the Senatorial race were said to have blocked the Aguleri roundabout in the local government area.
The major contenders for the Anambra North Senatorial seat were Chief Primus Odili, a former Chief of Staff (CoS) to Willie Obiano, the former First Lady, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, and Sam Onwueteaka.
It was learnt that the thugs allegedly imported from neighbouring towns had at about 7.30 am on Saturday besieged the Otuocha roundabout to disrupt the process. Delegates who arrived at the venue for the primary election could not go into the venue of the exercise.
Members of the APGA National Assembly Electoral Committee charged with the responsibility of conducting the primary election were still in Awka when information got to them that the security situation in the area has worsened.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Otuocha station had deployed officers and men to major flashpoints in the area who engaged with the hoodlums. Several arms, matches, and clubs were recovered in the process.
The Chairman of the APGA National Committee for the primary election, Alhaji Carvor, collaborated with the Divisional Police Officer that the venue would not be conducive for the election.
He said for the sake of peace the primary election would not hold in Otuocha as earlier slated. Concerned APGA members and delegates for the primary election in reaction urged the National Chairman of the party Chief Victor Oye not to allow enemies of the party from the opposition parties to disrupt the peace and harmony in the party.
They particularly accused the opposition parties in the state of plotting to ensure that APGA does not field any candidate in the coming general election.
Also, former APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh on Saturday lost the contest to a two-term member of the House of Representatives for Anaocha/Dunukofia/Njikoka Federal constituency, Dozie Nwankwo in the primaries for Anambra Central Senatorial district for the 2023 elections. Hon Nwankwo defeated Umeh in a keenly contested primary exercise held at Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, the state capital.
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According to the outcome of the election announced by the Election Returning Officer, Elizabeth Nwokocha, Dozie Nwankwo polled a total of 162 votes to emerge the winner, Chief Victor Umeh scored 151 votes while Mr Okagbue Uzuegbunam scored ten (10) votes respectively.
Dozie’s victory was a shocker to Umeh and the emergence of the gangling politician has set the camp of Senator Uche Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra Central) ablaze as he is expected to give Iyom Ekwunife the run for her money.
He Dozie had almost dislodged Ekwunife in 2011 during his first term under ACM while she was seeking the second term under APGA. Her possible defeat then was saved through the powerful influence of former Governor Peter Obi.
Ekwunife is likely to face an uphill task in her third term in 2023 and has emerged as the senatorial candidate for next year under the PDP.
Sadly Peter Obi, who felt betrayed by his former party (PDP), had dumped the fold for Labour Party (LP) which is expected to realise how presidential ambition.
However, APGA delegates drawn from the seven local government areas of the Anambra Central Senatorial zone voted peacefully during the primaries.
The APGA Anambra North senatorial primary election was later shifted to Ikpeazu Township Stadium Onitsha on Sunday 29th May 2022 amid tight security provided by soldiers, anti-riot policemen, and Department of State Services (DSS), Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, Chief Primus Odili, Sam Onwuteaka, and Tony Nnacheta battled for delegates from the seven local government areas in the senatorial district.
At the end of the tension-soaked exercise, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano sprang the surprise with 152 votes out of the total 276 accredited voters to beat the former Chief of Staff, Mr. Primus Odili who scored 120 votes. Sam Onwuteaka Jnr got only two votes, while Tony Nnacheta also scored two votes.
The election returning officer, Ambassador Osuji Ikenna, led three other officers to conduct the primary election amid tight security.
The victory of Mrs Obiano beyond the expectations of many who wished she loses the contest because of her past antecedents of wielding undue personal and political influence has sparked another dimension in the political arena in the state.
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For one, her emergence has further given fire to the hatred for Odili and others who served former Governor Obiano bit were seen to have bitten the fingers that fed them during the eight years of Akpokuodike Global while in office.
There is no doubt that the camp of Chief Primus Odili will take further steps to put a death nail on the political coffin of Osodieme Obiano at the actual battle in 2023 by possibly joining forces with Senator Stella Oduah to ensure she hit the rocks at the polls.
In any case, the APGA South senatorial primary election is yet to be concluded following the confusion that engulfed it last week. The final straw that will break the camel’s back with me is during the actual National and state assembly elections next year when the powers will assert their might, influence, and money to determine who goes and gets what and when as well as why. Until the time comes, let’s keep our fingers crossed because there are still forces at play.
