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Stalemate In PDP Guber Peace Talks, Peter Obi’s Choice For Deputy Returns To Nigeria

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The People Democratic Party [PDP] crisis arising from the gubernatorial primary held in Anambra State against the November 18, 2017 gubernatorial election appears hanging in limbo as the peace talks initiated by the national chairman of the party, Senator Makarfi seem to hit a stalemate. This is as information available to 247ureports.com indicate the aggrieved aspirants have held onto their stances and demands against the Peter Obi led imposition of his choice candidate and deputy.

According to available information, the peace committee set up by the national chairman to harmonize the issues arising from the exercise in Anambra were supposed to have reached finality on the way forward on Monday September 11, 2017. All lingering issues were expected to have been resolved before Monday. But the talks, according to our source, could not converge to a mutual point. This is largely to the perceived unacceptability of Oseloka Obaze as the choice candidate for the party.

Some of the aggrieved aspirant suggested cancellation of Oseloka Obaze’s candidateship for a lesser polarizing aspirant. In particular, John Emeka was suggested as an acceptable choice.

In talking to a top member of the Peter Obi campaign team, it was gathered that the campaign appears unfazed by the demands of the aggrieved aspirants. The member of the campaign team told 247ureports.com confidentially that the PDP is unlikely to cancel the candidate-ship of Oseloka Obaze, “so we are carrying on with our preparations for the full-fledged campaign regardless of what Makarfi and his group decides”.

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The member who have been a staunch backbone member of the PDP disclosed that the Peter Obi has decided to utilize his own associates who had defected from the All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA] to execute the campaign. “Peter Obi will not use the PDP personnel to execute the campaign. He will use his APGA associates. He has no trust for the PDP”. He noted that the core original members of the PDP feel alienated by the emergence of Peter Obi and his choice candidate – and so might not exhibit the expected loyalty to the campaign mantra. He acknowledges however that the alienation may possibly result to anti-party activities. In his take, the anti-party activities would have minimal effect.

Interestingly, the Peter Obi campaign team have already began implementation of the game plan. In the home local government area [LGA] of Peter Obi – Aniocha LGA, the existing LGA chairman for the PDP was unceremoniously removed and replaced by McJoe Onwudinjo.

McJoe Onwudinjo had served as the personal assistant to the former commissioner of works [Arc. Calistus Ilozumba] during the Peter Obi administration. Onwudinjo was sacked following allegation of financial misdealing and/or fraud and embezzlement. He was later returned through the backdoor and retained on the government payroll. According to a source who claims to be prevalent with that transpired, Onwudinjo was used to embezzle money by the then commissioner and Peter Obi – and when it became apparent it may go public, Onwudinjo was made the ‘fall guy’. “He took the bullet and was rewarded handsomely”.

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In line with the campaign, Onwudinjo has sacked the entire PDP chieftains from the positions in the campaign team – including the former speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Barth Onugbolu, former state chairman of the PDP, Chief Oli and others.

In reaction to this development, three hundred and fifty [350] members of the PDP from the Aniocha LGA announced their defection from the PDP to the APGA. While receiving the new members, Chief Ben Obi congratulated them and told them “don’t follow opposition, always government in power”. 

Meanwhile, Peter Obi’s choice for Oseloka Obaze’s deputy running mate [Mrs. Chidi Ekwueme – Onyemelukwe] arrived Nigeria on the morning of Monday September 11, 2017. It is believed she arrived back to Nigeria for the expected campaign to deputize the PDP gubernatorial candidate. Mrs. Onyemelukwe is the first daughter of Dr Alex Ekwueme. Her husband hails from Nnewi.

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