Aggrieved PDP Candidates led by Odedo, Ayika cry foul play, embark on campaigns

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) authentic list as submitted by the former Chairman of PDP in Anambra state , Chief Ken Emeakayi is with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) but some group previously in the list with court order are raising alarm.

Emeakayi has done a press statement maintaining the list now with INEC containing Chief Mrs Uche Ekwunife for Anambra central, Princess Stella Oduah for Anambra North and Senator Andy Ubah for Anambra South as well as their candidates for House of representatives and state House of Assembly are intact.

But another group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in Anambra state in the next month's general election have sent a word of caution to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over what they described as subterranean moves by some persons to unlawfully manipulate the list of nominated candidates of the party for the coming polls.

Addressing journalists at the end of their meeting yesterday in Awka, where a communique was issued and read out, their spokesman Mr Valentine Ayika stated…” before you here are the PDP Anambra candidates for Federal House of Representatives for 2015 general election. The major purpose of this press briefing is to call on our teeming supporters, well-wishers and followers to remain calm and to continue in their avowed decision to ensure that PDP win the 2015 general election with a landslide victory in Anambra state.

"We also wish to use this opportunity to straighten some deliberately twisted issues by some desperate power seekers who can stop at nothing in trying to acquire power. May it please you to know that premised on a judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja we participated in a properly organized primary by our party, PDP, and emerged victorious in the exercise. We equally fulfilled all other electoral requirements that culminated into our names being published on 13th January 2015, the last day for publication, in INEC website and their other relevant offices. We are reliably informed that the said desperate power seekers are mounting overwhelming pressures on INEC to substitute our names with their own an act that would amount to overt impunity. At this juncture, we call on INEC to resist any pressure to indulge in any illegal act rather they should be guided by the relevant provisions of our Constitution and Statutes.

According to Ayika, "We consider this forum the best avenue to inform our party leaders that its constitution and the party's Electoral Guide must be implemented to the letter and should not be selective at all. Furthermore, any attempt to foist people who did not participate in the primaries organized by the party subject to a valid judgement of a Federal High Court would amount to total dispensation of energy in frivolity. Our great party, the PDP, should not act in a way that would give the impression that the party has no respect for rule of law... ".

The candidates, among other things, commended the INEC for being patriotic enough in acknowledging that there were security threats and other challenges to free and fair polls hence the need to adjust the initially scheduled dates for the elections.

While reaffirming their implicit confidence in the party and the INEC in abiding by the rule of law , they warned electoral body and the party to eschew giving room to any form of illegality and impunity.

One of the candidates, Chief Charles Odedo (Idemili Federal Constituency)who is seeking a re-election to the National Assembly appealed to all eligible potential voters in the state who have not collected their permanent voters card (PVC)to take advantage of the extension of the distribution period to March 8, 2015 to go to collect their own. He pointed out that it was the only instrument to use in exercising their franchise.

Odedo also urged INEC to double their effort in the PVC distribution process to enable all registered voters collect their cards by the new election date.

Other candidates who spoke at the media briefing include Engr Emma Nweke (Awka Federal Constituency), Chief Caesar Ofoma (Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency), Princess Ifeyinwa Anazonwu (Onitsha Federal Constituency), Tony Offiah (Aguata Federal Constituency), Chief Benny Obaze (Ogbaru Federal Constituency), Dr Nwene (Anambra East/West Federal Constituency), Val Ayika (Njikoka/Dunukofia/Anaocha Federal Constituency).