The opportunism represented by the presentation of what the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) called ‘governorship aspirants’ in a market where tragedy struck and serious stakeholders are engaging on solutions is a pointer to lawlessness and moral decadence which sign-posts the umbrella party.
PDP had in a visit to Ochanja Market on Saturday October 19,2019, where so many shops and residences across roughly a dozen buildings were razed due to the negligence of APGA -controlled state government introduced a female senator and a male member of the Federal House of Representatives as ‘ governorship ‘ aspirants ‘ of their party.
Morally speaking, this conduct is fundamentally flawed. At issue is a heart- rending story of casualties in a better-manageable tragedy involving Anambra lives and properties.
In this wise, whatever unscrutinised donation made by the party could easily translate into fees for illegal campaign .
Incidentally PDP’s visit was led by the immediate past of governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi who shares in the blame for the rot that has engulfed Anambra State Fire Service, as the profile of the service in the last eight years , now in the public domain, illustrates.
Legally, there is nothing happening in Anambra State to warrant  the introduction of anyone publicly as ‘governorship aspirant’ . The last governorship election in the state took place in November 2017 and the next comes up around November 2021.
In between , there is a subsisting ban on political activities and serious opposition parties are engaging government on governance, including unlocking the grassroot developmemt of Anambra State through Local Government Elections.
Not for PDP ! The party considers it outside their agenda- in Anambra state ,as in Nigeria-Â to be an opposition party,offering alternative views to issues in governance.
Yet ,this lawless party which lives for elections,but not governance, shunned all decorum to hold a rally in the market in mockery of the late Mrs Ifeoma Okoye and her infant son, confirmed dead in the unfortunate inferno and a host of others in grief over their losses in properties and wares.
It was a wrong-headed move to inculcate in Anambra children and youth that taking advantage of sad situations is the right way to go. God Forbid!!
On the flip side,this tragic judgement by the party that ironically burnt Anambra State has triggered an early warning to Ndi Anambra that since exiting power 13 years ago, PDP has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing on this idea of using the hand to score goals in football.
PDP has a lot to learn from APC in Anambra State in discipline ,being law-abiding and readiness for governance.
We demand a public apology from PDP to Ndi Anambra on this morally reprehensible conduct and call on the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), to formally address that lawless party on the extant provisions of the Electoral Act that has just been violated by those who should know better.
We urge Ndi Anambra to look beyond these PDP and APGA actions that put Anambra State on the news for the wrong reasons and await an alternative government ,which will restore focus, and respect extant laws and be guided by codes of public morality.
For: ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS ( APC),ANAMBRA STATE CHAPTER
Okelo Madukaife
State Publicity Secretary
