There are strong indications that the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, may field a compromise candidate for the November 16, governorship elections in Anambra State to free the party from litigations by the various candidates laying claim to the party’s ticket.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had voided the candidacy of Mr. Tony Nwoye, who emerged winner of the August 14 primaries conducted by the Ken Emeakayi-led faction of the Anambra PDP and instead declared Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as the party’s valid candidate on the grounds that he was the only qualified aspirant in the said primary elections.
This is just as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, refused to recognize the candidature of Senator Chris Uba, who emerged winner of a parallel primary conducted by the Ejike Oguebego-led faction of PDP in Anambra and inspite of a court ruling in Port Harcourt which declared him as the authentic candidate of the PDP.
However, a source within the National Working Committee, (NWC) of PDP disclosed that the party might have resolved to select a compromise governorship candidate from Anambra North senatorial zone with a view to wriggling itself out of the divisive and time wasting litigations in court.
“The party was moved by the divisive impact of the litigations in court and the fact that the election was just six weeks away, to sideline the three claimants, Senator Andy Uba, Prince Ukachukwu and Nwoye; to settle for a less controversial candidate from Anambra north senatorial zone to fly the party’s flag”, the source said.
But in a swift reaction, the spokesman for PDP, Mr Olisa Metuh dismissed the rumour as untrue.
Speaking yesterday in a telephone interview with Daily Sun, Metuh affirmed that “there is no request for it (substitution). There is no need for it. There is no discussion over it and the idea is not even being entertained”.
-Daily Sun
