Oseloka
Obaze has clinched the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship ticket to
fly the party’s flag in the November 18 Anambra governorship election.
In a landslide victory, he defeated oil mogul
Ifeanyi Ubah, Alex Obiogbulu and a senator, Stella Oduah, to the ticket of the
party.
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Udom
Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State led the committee appointed by the national leadership
of the party to conduct the primary election. The election held amidst tight
security at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, the state
capital.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, were also present to monitor the election.
A total of 958 delegates took part in the
one-day exercise and at the end Mr. Obaze, a former Secretary to the State
Government, emerged victorious with 672 votes while Mr. Obiogbolu came a
distant second with 190 votes.
Mr. Ubah could only garner 94 votes to place
third while two votes were declared as invalid.
There was a mild drama after counting of the
votes as Mr. Ubah took the microphone and protested the result, claiming the
election was marred by irregularities.
But Mr. Umahi interrupted him and asked him to
wait for declaration of results to make his protest.
After
the declaration of the results, Mr. Ubah said the delegates list was only given
to them two days to the election unlike other parties that got their list four
weeks before the primaries.
This he said made it difficult for the
candidates to campaign to the delegates.
He also noted that he and some of the
candidates have already instituted a case in the court to challenge the
primaries because of the massive irregularities
Three other contestants, John Emeka, a former
minister; Linda Ikpeazu, representing Onitsha North and South federal
constituency in the House of Representatives, and Akaolisa Ufodike had earlier
announced their withdrawal from the race.
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