PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur
Four,
out of the 17 governorship aspirants in the November 16 governorship
election in Anambra State, have been disqualified by the Peoples
Democratic Party.
With the disqualification, the race is
now open to 13 aspirants, who are scheduled to go for the primaries that
will hold in the state on August 24.
This was the outcome of the screening
conducted on Tuesday night in Abuja by the PDP’s five-man Screening
Panel, headed by Alhaji Aminu Wali.
Those who were disqualified included
Tony Nwoye, Sylvester Okonkwo, Ugochukwu Okeke and Onwuanyi Afameduna.
They were said to have been disqualified based on what was described as “
tax matters.”
The result of the screening committee
was presented by a member of the panel, who was also a former Deputy
Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Austin Okpara.
While presenting the report, he said
members of the National Working Committee, headed by the National
Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, did not interfere with the
matter.
He said those disqualified were free to
take their cases to the Screening Appeal Panel, which he said would sit
in Abuja on Saturday.
He said the decision of the panel might be favorable to them, but he urged the contestants to play by the rule.
He said, “The NWC members did not
interfere with what we did. We were allowed to do our job. We used the
party’s constitution as a guide. So, nobody distracted or tried to
influence us in any way.”
Investigations by our correspondent
showed that all the aspirants were asked to sign an undertaking, which
was prepared by the screening committee.
In the undertaking, the aspirants
pledged not to resort to litigation based on either the outcome of the
screening or the primaries.
They also pledged to cooperate with any of the aspirants that might eventually emerge as the party’s candidate.
While receiving the report of the
screening, the Acting Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chibumdo
Nwuche, said he expected the party to win the governorship election in
the state.
According to him, the PDP parades the
highest governorship aspirants in the state, stressing that this is
because of its popularity.
The former deputy speaker called on the
Independent National Electoral Commission to be impartial in the conduct
of the election.
He said, “The PDP has the highest number
of governorship aspirants in Anambra State. This shows that it is a
popular party and everyone knows that its candidate is going to win the
governorship election.
“We are appealing to our members to play
by the rule and also be cooperative in this exercise. I also wish to
appeal to the Independent National Electoral Commission to play by the
rules. They should not be partial, as Nigerians and the international
community are watching.”
Among those cleared for the primaries
are Senator Andy Uba; former member of the House of Representatives, Mr.
Nicholas Ukachuku and a business tycoon, Chief Obinna Uzor.
Also in the race are Charles Odunukwe,
Special Assistant to the President and Secretary of SURE-P, Akachukwu
Nwankpo; Senator Emma Anosike and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Turkey,
Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe.
Meanwhile, the number aspirants on the
platform of the All Progressives Congress for the state’s governorship
election has risen to three.
Senators Annie Okonkwo and Chris Ngige,
who were founding members of APC, and had earlier indicated interest to
contest for the governorship election, were said to have been cleared
for the race.
But speaking with journalists on Tuesday
night in Abuja, another aspirant, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, said he was
contesting the election on the platform of the APC because “the party
has promised internal democracy and it will take the people of Anambra
to the promised land.
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