From Obinna Odogwu, Awka and Mokwugwo Solomon, Nnewi
Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has lashed out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over their inability to fix the internal crises rocking them.
Obiano, in a statement released by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Don Adinuba, said that the two leading opposition political parties in the state, have already given up on the November 6 election.
The governor said that nomination of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has sent shivers to the two parties.
“The moment APGA nominated on June 23 Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the internationally renowned economics professor, reformer and former Central Bank governor as its governorship candidate, the two parties practically gave up their interest on the election.
“The PDP and APC are in such low spirits and disarray now that they cannot choose running mates two weeks after they held their controversial congresses where the PDP, which held two parallel congresses, chose two candidates from the same local government area to fly its flag and the APC announced the result of an election in which not one single person, not even Senator Chris Ngige, the party’s leader in the state who is also the Minister of Labour and Productivity, saw the electoral materials, let alone allowed to vote”, he said.
Obiano said the inability of the candidates of the PDP and APC to nominate their running mates was a testament that all was not well with the parties and their readiness for the poll.
“Professor Soludo announced his running mate, Dr Onyeka Ibezim, a medical doctor and accomplished technocrat, a week after his own nomination, to the applause of the whole state”, he stated.
He disclosed that there were a number of eminently qualified persons who were presented for the position but Ibezim stood tall.
“There was a number of solid candidates but Soludo and the APGA leadership worked hard and closely to choose the very best”, he said.
Obiano lampooned the PDP for its inability to make simple but serious decision within the time he had expected.
“The first person the PDP was considering to run with one of the two claimants to its flag, Professor Chinyere Stella Okunna, who was the Commissioner for Information and Culture in the administration preceding mine, not only rejected the consideration, but personally wrote to the media, including online publications, to urge the party to leave her alone.
“This is one of the few cases in Nigerian political history where persons being considered for high office are rejecting the offer with alacrity. The truth is that everyone knows that the game is over for the PDP, so there is no point wasting their time and resources.
“As though the situation was not bad enough for the PDP, another group in the party went public to attack my predecessor, vowing to resist with every fibre in its muscle the ongoing spirited attempt to impose a deputy governorship candidate on its faction”, Obiano stated.
Continuing, Obiano said: “Much as the situation is very bad for the PDP, it is far worse in the APC.
“The party’s vehement refusal to conduct any kind of congress or primary election only to have the effrontery to announce at Agulu Lake Golden Tulip Hotel the next day the result based on the fatuous claim that several thousands of its members voted will haunt it terribly, undermine whatever integrity it ever possessed and profoundly dispirit its leadership as well as its rank and file.
“It is a matter of speculation whether any self-respecting person will allow himself or herself to be its running mate in an election which Anambra people have already made up their mind to stand with Soludo all the way.”
