Stella Oduah threatens to withdraw from PDP's Anambra primaries over election irregularities

FORMER aviation minister Senator Stella Oduah has threatened to withdraw from the ongoing Anambra State gubernatorial elections alleging irregularities in the build-up to the primaries of her People's Democratic Party’s (PDP).

Senator Oduah heads the list of five candidates who have been cleared by the PDP to stand in its primaries ahead of the Anambra State governorship elections on November 18. Those cleared alongside her include Lynda Ikpeazu, Dr Patrick Ubah, John Emeka and Dr Alex Obiogolu and they are currently gearing up for the PDP primaries to see who gets the ticket.

Yesterday, however, Senator Oduah said that the ward congress of the party held on Wednesday to elect three delegates per ward was fraught with irregularities and sabotage. According to her, as if the case of hijacking was not enough, the ultimate result of the ward congress which was submitted by the secretary of the panel was switched for a doctored one.

“The exercise violated all known principles of democratic practice. Several complaints have continued to trail the exercise as most party faithful are disgruntled and agitated," Senator Oduah said.

She disclosed that she had petitioned the chairman of the party Senator Ahmed Makarfi, over the matter and threatened to withdraw from the primaries if the party failed to address the problem. Furthermore, Senator Oduah claimed that only her and few other members of the party in the state remained faithful during the turbulence in the PDP that led to litigations at the national level.

Senator Oduah added: “I wrote to notify the chairman of my protest and intention to withdraw from the 2017 gubernatorial primaries in Anambra if the party fails to address the issues presented. This is because the approach employed for the party primary is not aimed at winning election.

“The implication of this is to subject the loyal party faithful to a stressful and rancorous primary to weaken and sap the strength of candidate that will emerge from the exercise. It should be recalled that this has been the reason our party has been losing gubernatorial elections in Anambra."

She added that at one point, she  was the only senator elected on the platform of the PDP in state but herself and a few elders kept the flag flying until today that the party regained its glory. Senator Oduah warned that the approach being adopted in the state would not reward party loyalists or guarantee election victory on November 18.