Stella Oduah threatens to withdraw from Anambra guber race
The senator representing Anambra North in the National Assembly and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in the state, Stella Oduah, has threatened to withdraw from the party’s primaries slated for August 28, 2017.
In a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the senator alleged that Wednesday’s ward Congress in the state, was ‘hijacked by governors’.
The former Aviation Minister, however, did not name the PDP governors involved.
She explained that the result of the congress which produced three delegates per ward, who will then elect the party’s governorship candidate on Monday, August 28, not only lacked transparency but was doctored.
She therefore called for review of the delegates list.
“More fundamentally, the ward Congress for the three-man delegates per ward was a laughing venture. With manifest irregularity and sabotage, as if the case of hijacking this process was not enough, the ultimate result of the ward Congress which was subjected and submitted by the Secretary of the panel, was switched for a doctored result.
“This exercise violated all known principles of democratic practice. Several complaints have continued to trail the exercise as most party faithful are disgruntled and agitated.
“It is on this note I have written to the Chairman of my great party (Ahmed Makarfi) to tender my protest that unless this process is revisited, except this process is properly scrutinised, I may have to withdraw my candidacy.
“It is a system that has not been transparent. It has been hijacked by governors and that is totally unacceptable, undemocratic and unPDP. Imposition should have been what PDP would have learnt by now. We must present our Best 11,” she said.
The governorship aspirant also alleged that those who did not identify with the party’s struggle as well as others ‘out to cause mischief’ are allowed to contest Monday’s primary.
The other six aspirants billed to contest the primary include: Ifeanyi Uba, Alex Obiogolu, Oseloka Obaze, John Okechukwu Emeka, Akolisa Ufodike and Lynda Ikpeazu.
The governorship election is billed for November 18, 2017.
The lawmaker pointed out that she and some elders of the party in the state, kept the flag flying throughout the 14-month leadership tussle between Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu-Sheriff for the soul of the party.
