Delegate list disrupts House of Assembly primaries in Ndokwa East

By: Jawa Nanna
From: Ashaka

The Ndokwa East chapter of Peoples Democratic Party had a showdown in the January 8, 2011 House of Assembly primaries at Ashaka, Fresh Angle can authoritatively report.

The election billed to commence at 10.00am at Ozoma-Ukwu Primary School, Ashaka saw a delay in the arrival of the voting materials.

The PDP returning Officer, Elofu Elue Dike who arrived at 2.15pm was accosted by aggrieved electorates. He attributed the delay to a briefing held by the party at Abuja.

In an exclusive interview with Fresh Angle, the returning Officer declared that there are twelve aspirants for the race and the 135 delegates for the election comprise of LGA and ward executives as well as councilors. He further disclosed that some aspirants do not have the clearance certificate and that this has posed a challenge.

An aspirant, Hon. John Nwanosike from Okpai-Oluchi, told Fresh Angle that he is vying for the position because “Ndokwa East has been the least local government in terms of development”.

Another aspirant, Barr. Innocent Ogboru, an Ibrede indigene and graduate of Federal School of Arts and Science, Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira said he is contesting because of the marginalization of his people in governance and backwardness in infrastructural development. He vowed to contribute his quota for change. He pointed out that the delay in the arrival of electoral materials is as a result of the irregularities in the political system.

Barrister Ogboru commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the January 6 rerun election.

Hon. Henry Obi also gave the perceived marginalization of his ward 8 people as reason for his decision to rerun. He said the Ibedeni people have no access road and no electricity.

The shrewd leader of Ndoka East legislative Arm, Hon. Shedrack Opia told our Correspondent that the election must not hold as the delegate list that was provided for the election is unconstitutional. He declared that the local government area went to court to challenge the controversial lists that were forwarded for the election and stoutly maintained that Barr. Peter Nwaoboshi led executive list is the authentic.

Six aspirants voted that the election should take place with the available delegate list while six others voted against it. This led to the suspension of the election and the aspirants as well as the police and the PDP returning Officer left the voting ground.