The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in the November 6 Governorship election in Anambra, on Thursday, announced that he is withdrawing from the Anambra South Senatorial Primary election of the party.
Ozigbo joins his political mentor, two-time Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, who yesterday announced his withdrawal from the PDP presidential race as well as his resignation from the PDP over perceived irregularities.
However, Ozigbo insists he is remaining with the PDP.
Recall that former Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremmadu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia-South Senatorial District had withdrawn from the PDP Governorship primaries in Enugu and Abia respectively, in a latest wave of defection from the Nigeria’s main opposition party.
Also in Anambra, about seven other PDP aspirants who have also withdrawn from their respective primary election include Mr Tony Nwoye who withdrew from Anambra north Senatorial election, Lady Juliet Anaeme who pulled out of House of Assembly contest for Ekwusigo state constituency and resigned from PDP, Chief Andrew Onwurah Azike contesting for Aguata Federal Constituency seat, who also resigned from the PDP and Hon Obiora Chira contesting the House of Reps in Oyi/Ayamelum federal Constituency.
Others include Hon Idu Emeka contesting for house of Reps in Onitsha north and south, Hon Val Ayika contesting the Anaocha, Njikoka, Dunukofia federal constituency primary andHon Noel Anosike vying for Anambra east and east federal Constituency ticket of the PDP.
In a letter he addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, titled ‘I Refuse To Dignify The Rot Of The Process By Participating In Anambra South Senatorial Primary’, Ozigbo noted that the entire process leading up to preparing the PDP Anambra Chapter for the primary is fundamentally flawed, saying he will not dignify the mockery of due process and blatant disregard for decency with his continued participation.
Ozigbo cited the actions of some party leaders in the state and the NWC-appointed minions as having put the candidacy of many party faithful in legal jeopardy.
The letter read; “In the case of Ward and Local government congresses, you listened to many leaders at the meeting of May 19, 2022, on how Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Elder Emma Ogidi-led teams conducted excellent congresses, and subsequently, NWC approved the exercises.
“Despite this, the usual suspects rushed to court and procured an interlocutory order purporting to enable them to foist a list of their surrogates as delegates on the party.
“Shockingly, some of our officers at PDP headquarters, instead of challenging the order, were in a hurry to write to INEC to submit the court procured list of delegates which is totally different from what the NWC ratified.
“Thankfully, a court of competent jurisdiction issued a judgment, superior to the interlocutory order, affirming the decision of the NWC.
“But, it is now in the open that there is effort being made to ignore the judgement of the court and persist in the plot to use an illegal list compiled by a coalition of deceit led by Senator Uche Ekwunife, Chief Chris Uba, Linus Ukachukwu, and now Senator Stella Oduah.
“Yes, the same Senator Oduah who deserted the party and joined APC during the governorship elections is being warmly received and rehabilitated into the party to the chagrin of our loyal party members!
“Sir, I would like to state this clearly, that the actions of Chris Uba and Linus Ukachukwu, with the support of Uche Ekwunife, and Stella Oduah and a few others are the reasons PDP in Anambra may end up fielding no candidate in the 2023 elections.”
The business leader regretted that the PDP in Anambra, has for too long, lost sight of what is important, and “focused on the ego and the power play that creates characters like Chris Uba in our midst.”
He alleged that the problems the party faces cannot be solved by acquiescing to the discredited notion that regards every long-standing member of the PDP as a leader or stakeholder, saying it is time the party defines what leadership means to them.
“I believe that leaders should be determined not by age or years in the party but by their character that upholds the principles of justice, fairness, and transparency; by their contribution, which builds up our party; and by their political ideology of inclusiveness, development, and growth.
“Our real problem lies in the blatant disregard for the rule of law.
“Instead of joining Chris Uba’s devious game of musical chairs, we ought instead to focus on how to clean house and restoring peace, order, and unity to the PDP.
“It is imperative that the PDP, which Dr Ayu leads, makes this our focus if we wish to remain a party of the people in Anambra and take power at the centre in 2023; or else, we are in for a rude awakening.
“Too many of our members have had their investments in the party destroyed by the actions of Chris Uba and cohort and their anger boils over.
“Soon there may be no meaningful PDP in Anambra state.
“How is it that one aspirant, an interested party in the process for the Congress, takes over the process by supplying the names of his domestic staff and allies to be on the panel coming to Anambra to conduct the Ad Hoc Congress?
“Specifically, Captain Umar Bature (Rtd), PDP National Organising Secretary (NOS), is complicit in this dangerous and divisive approach to conducting the internal elections of our party.
“True to form, Chris Uba succeeded in hijacking the process.
“He was seated at the stage, right beside the panel as the kangaroo exercise was being conducted.
“The panel chairman and members firmly under Uba’s control, openly taking directives from Uba.
“What a dark day in the history of the PDP, a party with such great promise and potential.
“May this ugly episode in PDP Anambra be an opportunity to commit to reclaiming the soul of our party from those sworn to its destruction, and it begins with telling the true story of how we got here,” Ozigbo prayed.
