Anambra 2017: Intriguing primaries as money fails APC

• APC, APGA Roiled By Fetish Oath, Strategic Adjustments
• UPP Presents Symptoms Of Indiscipline, Rebellion

They drummed, they danced, they sang. In the end, it was not music for a wrestling contest, but a coronation. It was with such gaiety and razzmatazz that incumbent governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, waltzed his way as the unchallenged flag bearer of Victor Oye faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

The APGA factional governorship primary that returned Obiano as its candidate for the November 18, 2017 governorship poll, came amidst apprehension over the governor’s fate in the light of his decision to stick to Oye, who was suspended from the party for gross misconduct, bothering on high-handed leadership and alienation of other members of the National Working Committee of the party.

Shortly after the governor went to Abuja to pick the nomination form from the embattled former national chairman, Oye, Ochudo Martin Agbaso, told The Guardian that only the court could determine whether what he purchased was the right or wrong form, stressing that he was the only national chairman recognised by the law.

On the governorship primary that held last Tuesday, Agbaso said the governor has at last “displayed crass impunity,” stressing that the action of the governor was unexpected of someone that had sworn to abide by and defend the constitution.

Agbaso noted that as at the time the primary held, it was clear that Oye was not the chairman recognised by law, stressing that only the National Working Committee headed by a chairman recognised by the law is empowered to conduct governorship primaries.

But, in what seemed a dramatic turnaround, a special team of Court of Appeal justices in Enugu, which had earlier ruled that the fact of interlocutory appeal by the Agbaso group would not stop the court from going ahead with the substantive case from going on, last Wednesday restored Oye, despite that his appeal against his suspension is still pending at the Court of Appeal, Abuja. Although it appears as a pyrrhic victory, the development was like an icing on the cake for Governor Obiano, who has upped his preparations for the governorship with the release of more than 200 branded campaigns buses.

Prior to the appeal court breather, the governor was said to have thrown his weight behind the sudden governorship ambition of the senator representing Anambra north in the senate, Princess Adaeze Stella Oduah (ASO).

Informed insiders confided in The Guardian that the governor expressed his unwillingness to contest on a fringe political platform, choosing rather to support the Senator from Ogbaru, who was said to have endorsed the governor’s second term ambition in addition to other things.

With the cloud of uncertainty surrounding his candidacy owing to the internal friction within APGA, Obiano felt part of his troubles came from the relentless opposition of his second term by his predecessor and benefactor, Mr. Peter Obi.

Consequently, knowing that Obi has stationed three aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the incumbent decided to side with Oduah to put up a proxy fight and make things a little bit hard for Obi’s men with the fiscal infusion and other extras that flow with power of incumbency.

And perhaps as if aware of the power play between Obi and Obiano, Agbaso decided to shift the governorship primary of his faction to Monday August 21, 2017 in an obvious strategic move to see how the PDP governorship primary scheduled for Saturday (yesterday) would pan out.

The Guardian gathered that the game plan in Agbaso’s camp is that should PDP choose Oduah as its governorship flag bearer, that faction would settle for a candidate from Omambala, the core of Anambra north senatorial district. Although Oduah’s emergence could be celebrated, being the first time a woman is flying the flag of a major political party in a governorship election, the candidacy may end up as a mere psychedelic political show.

But with Governor Obiano boasting that he reserves the yam and the knife (power to dispense favours), it is not yet clear what shape his strategies would take. Assuming Senator Oduah emerges governor, could it be that Obiano would work his way to the Senate and play as a surprise godfather? The facts on the ground do not give reasons that the governor possesses the clout and fibre to emerge as a giant killing underdog.

Despite reservations by analysts about the governor’s possible good showing in the forthcoming poll, he has against all odds joined Chief Godwin Ezeemo and Engineer Sam Osita Oraegbunam as candidates for the November 18 poll.

Ezeemo emerged as the unchallenged candidate of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA). Speaking when the people of old Aguata Union, comprising 45 communities endorsed his candidacy, the PPA candidate noted that contrary to the calls for zoning, every senatorial zone in the state has had a stint at the governorship seat, stressing that now, the “Government House at Agu Awka is vacant and somebody has got to fill it and that person must come from Aguata.

He said he has voluntarily and willingly presented himself “to serve the people in the best way nobody has ever served the state.”On his own part, the HDP candidate, Engineer Sam Osita Oraegbunam, disclosed that although he had been on the forefront of those criticizing the administration of Governor Willie Obiano, his governorship ambition is to walk the talk and show that good governance is not utopia.

He explained that unlike other aspirants who he said are propelled by dubious financial flow from politics, he was being powered by the contribution of the rural people the same way former President Barack Obama was supported by American people.

At a press conference accepting his nomination, Oraegbunam said: “I, Engineer Sam Osita Oraegbunam, have agreed to contest the November 18, governorship election of Anambra State. I have succumbed to pressures to replicate the inclusive governance that raised HDP as the most progressive and peaceful party in the state.

“It is on record that I have been in the forefront criticizing the administration of Governor Willie Obiano. I am therefore coming to walk the talk and show that good governance is not utopia. We shall involve the people and undertake proper infrastructure development of the state.”

He added: “Our administration will focus on a four-point developmental paradigm, including infrastructure review and redirection; comprehensive upgrade of health facilities in the state to guarantee access and qualitative medicare; expanding the wealth base of the state by developing agro-based industrial hubs and equipping our young people with relevant skills and improved apprenticeship schemes.”

The HDP flagbearer promised to run a transparent administration, stressing: “I have been around in the state, the people know me and my assets are well known to them. I do not own a palatial mansion adorned with swimming pools or a yacht anywhere. I am part of the common people.”

Money Fails APC
THE All Progressives Congress (APC) had to hurriedly reschedule its governorship primary earlier fixed for yesterday to Saturday August 26, 2017, ostensibly following allegations of inducement and solicitation for fetish oath taking by some aspirants.

Immediately after the party leadership screened the 12 aspirants that purchased the nomination forms, they all headed back to Anambra where they doubled up on marketing their candidatures to the delegates. As the governorship drew near, word started making the rounds about how two prominent aspirants, Hon. Tony Nwoye and Senator Andy Uba, were boasting about their preparedness to dole out mouth watering sums to ensure the ticket goes their way.

But while some party faithful dismissed the claims as whimsical exaggerations by less financially endowed aspirants, matters came to a head when a delegate from Anambra West local government council, Chief Damian Muo-Udevi blew a whistle, describing how one of the aspirants (names with held) offered him money with a proviso that he should swear to a fetish oath, which he promptly declined and came out to blow the lid open.

But in a short message announcing the postponement signed by the APC national secretary, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, the party said: “Please be informed that due to the sensitivity of the forthcoming election and for planning/strategic reasons, our great party has rescheduled the conduct of the primary election by a week. The primary election will now hold on Saturday August 26, 2017.”

While some party chieftains are calling for investigation into the inducement and fetish oath allegation, others said the one-week postponement was necessitated by growing pressures on the party to align itself with the zoning arrangement in the state.

In a letter to the APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, a group, Concerned APC Elders led by Elder Nnanna Egwu, urged the party to use the one week postponement to take a stand on zoning and fine-tune the consensus option. The party chieftains contended that while other front runners like George Muoghalu, Andy Uba and Tony Nwoye are currently holding elective and appointive offices, it would be safe and strategic for the party to settle for Dr. Obidigbo, who they said apart from coming from Anambra north, “has a see-through integrity, no baggage of political scandal, corruption or controversy.”

Contrasting Obidigbo with President Muhammadu Buhari, the stakeholders remarked that with his age and experience as former chairman of Southeast chapter of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), comprising Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States, selecting him as the consensus candidate would help the party make inroad to Southeast and enhance the fight against corruption easy.

The APC concerned elders informed the party leadership that “Anambra voters are tired of moneybags and political jobbers circulating from one political office to another, without other visible means of livelihood,” adding that Dr. Obidigbo is the only candidate that could win the election on his integrity and humble personality.

UPP Erupts In Heedless Insubordination
BARELY five days to its governorship primary, the offshoot of APGA and acclaimed Biafra National Party, United Progressive Party (UPP) presented symptoms of indiscipline and rebellion.

From subdued protests against the tampering of delegates lists, some members alleged that the party ticket has been settled to go the way of the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka for a consideration.

Matters took a turn for the worse when the state acting chairman, Dr. Sylvester Igwilo alongside members of the State Working Committee suspended the two governorship aspirants, alleging that they did not show evidence of resignation from PDP, as well as, undermining the authority of the state organ by paying nomination fees and attending screening at Abuja.

The National Working Committee held an emergency meeting and dissolved the entire Anambra State Working Committee, accusing it of rebellion and rascally behaviour. As at the time of filing this report reconciliation was still holding to thrash the issues of discord.

Meanwhile, Chidoka, who looks set to clinch the UPP ticket, expressed optimism of wining the governorship poll in November. He told political associates and professional groups that visited his campaign office in Awka that “the game is already up for APGA, which has completely squandered the goodwill initially reposed in it by the people.”

The UPP hopeful noted that “the ordinary people of Anambra; who are the ultimate deciders at the polls are intensely yearning for an entirely new era; a government run by persons of proven experience, integrity and character; a new, transparent, resourceful and prudent administration that guarantees them full and equal access to resources and opportunities available in their state, and I represent that struggle and aspiration.”

Having shifted the goalposts, watchers of unfolding events towards the Anambra 2017 governorship poll, will have to wait till APC, PDP and the other wing of APGA cockerel, to see, albeit tentatively; the stature of contestants to appear on the ballot.