As the Sept 2, 2013 deadline for the submission of flag-bearers of the various political parties for the forthcoming Nov 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra state draws nearer, more parties have conducted their candidates.
The latest were Chief Anayo ARINZE who was nominated by the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and an American-based Dr Ifeatu EKELEM of the Advanced Congress of Democrats, ACD, respectively.
Chief ARINZE, an Abuja- based was picked in a very peaceful primary through a unanimous voice vote by party members, officials and delegates from the 21 council areas of the state.
While handing over the party’s flag to the victorious ARINZE, the national chairman of the ADC, Chief Ralph’s Okey Nwosu charged him to carry everyone along and to drive to lift the state to a higher heights hen elected.
ARINZE said he would not disappoint the members, the chairman or the state’s electorate.
For Dr Ekelem, it was a dream come through for him to be elected by the ACD in a well attended primary held at the Choice Hotels, Awka, yesterday.
He told journalists that “it’s wonderful and I thank God for this opportunity. I wish also that I be given the chance to rescue our people from the evil enslavement of the business-as-usual people who run our nation’s polity”.
Curiously, Ekelem was coasting home to victory as the sole aspirant and ultimately the candidate of the ADC until few days ago when he had a sharp disagreement with Chief Okey Nwosu. The national chairman in his reaction pointed out that the former aspirant and member refused to pay the stipulated nomination fee and hence did not apply.
Dr Ekelem was however full of invectives for the party chief, and the disagreement forced the party to shop for another candidate, while the would-be candidate shopped for another party platform. This was gladly provided by the ACD and he embraced it at once without waste of time.
Investigations however revealed that another party, Mega Progressives People’s Party MPPP, would conduct its primary this morning at Onitsha, the state’s commercial nerve centre.
It was also found that most of the smaller and less popular political parties have been hanging around in anticipation that those who lost out from the other bigger parties like the PDP, APGA, LP and APC would come over to ventilate their political urge.
