PDP moves to dump Uba for Ozigbo, denies use of new structure

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have settled for the former President of Transcorp Plc, Valentine Ozigbo, as its flag-bearer in the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.

Political watchers believe that the development is an indication that the party has turned its back on Senator Ugochukwu Uba.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed neither Ozigbo nor Uba, both of whom emerged as the PDP candidates in two different primaries held at Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, and St Paul’s University, Awka, last month, and is billed to act accordingly before the July 31, 2021 deadline.

PDP national leadership and stakeholders have reportedly thrown their weight behind Ozigbo, who was issued with the Certificate of Return as the standard-bearer of the party for the coming election by the National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus.

Speculations are rife that given the stance of the electoral body, PDP might collapse its structure and support another party in the election.

But dispelling the rumour in an interview in Awka, the immediate past Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, Chief Nnamdi Nwangwu, said the party was going into the election with the umbrella and had never contemplated transfer of its structure to another small party.

Nwangwu assured that the party was confident that its flag-bearer for the election would be published by INEC, and that efforts were in top gear to clear the judicial impediments.

“The Electoral Act is clear on the issue of who is expected to conduct primary for the governorship aspirants in political parties. It is the constitutional responsibility of the National Working Committee (NWC) to do that. It is gratifying to note that the primary that produced Ozigbo as PDP candidate was conducted by the NWC of the party, and most of the aspirants who genuinely contested along the elected candidate have since congratulated him.

“PDP has no issue with its national chairmanship. That is why it has become incumbent to advise mischief-makers not to confuse the PDP issue with that of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) that bothers on the national leadership of the party.