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Anambra guber: PDP aspirants test might

It is a tough contest tomorrow as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elects its candidate for the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State, Felix Nwaneri reports

The battle for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State has come after months of waited breath as party delegates file out tomorrow to elect their flag bearer. About 4,000 delegates are expected to vote in the primary election. The build-up to the exercise has been charcterised by power-play and intrigues given the vast number interested in the party’s ticket despite been in the opposition in the state. An unprecedented number of 16 aspirants are on the line for the ticket despite the high cost of the PDP’s governorship nomination and expression of interest forms. While the nomination form was sold at N20 million, the expression of interest form went for N1 million. There was also an additional N5 million tagged administrative fee, which was paid to the state chapter of the party. Three of the aspirants are women. They are the senator representing Anambra Central at the National Assembly, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife; daughter of former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, Lady Chidi Onyemelukwe and a former commissioner in the state, Mrs. Genevieve Ekwochi. The rest are Messrs Obiora Okonkwo, Chris Azugbogu, Winston Udeh, Valentine Ozigbo, Godwin Ezeemo, Emeka Etiaba, Ifedi Okwenna, Ugochkwu Uba, Tony Nwoye, Godwin Maduka, Chuma Nzeribe, Johny Maduafokwa and Walter Okeke. In the course of permutations ahead of the contest, various interesting scenarios have laced the political space and it has been difficult for bookmakers to predict where the pendulum would swing to. This, perhaps, explained why the national leadership of the PDP was left with no option than to clear all the aspirants for the primary even when issues where raised against some of them. Besides that, the party also carefully avoided the issue of zoning, throwing the ticket open to the three senatorial zones of the state. Though aspirants from Anambra South Senatorial District of the state insisted that it is the turn of their area to produce a governor given the power sharing deal in the state, the PDP leadership hinged the decision to throw the contest open based on its commitment to provide equal opportunity for all aspirants to compete freely and democratically at the governorship primary. The PDP enjoys a measure of support in Anambra despite having been out of power in the state in the last 16 years. The party held sway in the state between 1999 and 2006 before the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) took over. However, the main opposition party seems to have turned the beautiful bride ahead of the governorship election. It has attracted political heavyweights in the state in their numbers. This development apparently explains why the jostle for its governorship ticket. Buoyed by the new entrants and reconciliation of aggrieved old members, the leaderships of the party at state and at the federal levels have been talking tough ahead of the Anambra governorship election. To the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), “the party represents the hope for the state to rebuild and realise its full potential.” National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, who stated this while playing host to a coalition of Anambra youths under the aegis of Anambra Youth Initiative For Good Governance, in April, noted that the assemblage of leading aspirants as well as the surge of the people to the PDP clearly indicates the resolve of the people resolve to elect the next governor of the state on the platform of the PDP. His words: “The reality of the direction, which the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State will take is already manifesting. Anambra people are very industrious, resourceful and inventive, and they have collectively realised that they can only achieve their full potential on the platform of the PDP. “This is particularly, given our robust manifesto and wealth creation principles of inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, massive infrastructural development and empowerment of the people.” As it stands, most of the PDP aspirants are not new to the governorship race in the state and could boast of what it takes – deep pocket and political structure – to match each other strength to strength. This points to why the contest has been dubbed “the battle of billionaires.”

Uche Ekwunife

The banker turned politician is a household name in Anambra politics. Ekwunife came to limelight, when she won election in 2007 on the platform of the PDP to represent the people of Anaocha/ Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Having mastered the politics of Anambra State after some years in the Green Chamber, she declared intension to run for the governorship of the state in 2010. But when she realised that the coast was not cleared for her, she defected to Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and later emerged as the party’s flag bearer. Ekwunife proved her worth in the gubernatorial race as she ran an effective campaign across the nooks and crannies of the 21 local governments of Anambra State. But despite the resources she devoted to the election, she lost to the then incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi, who was the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). After the poll, Ekwunife returned to the PDP. She later left the party for APGA. She was reported to have moved to APGA after her conviction that she might not have the needed political space as a returnee member in PDP to secure the party’s ticket to participate in 2011 polls. Her defection to APGA proved a good political move as she not only picked the party’s ticket, but won the House of Representatives election to retain her seat in the lower chamber of the National Assembly. Ekwunife took another shot at the governorship of Anambra State in 2013, but APGA’s zoning arrangement that ceded the ticket to Anambra North thwarted he ambition at the primary election. It was another return for Ekwunife to the PDP ahead of the 2015 general election. She picked the party’s ticket for Anambra Central and defeated the likes of then National Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh and a former governor of the state, Chris Ngige, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Her victory was later upturned by the Court of Appeal. Ekwunife was on the move again, when she left PDP for APC but later returned to PDP to seek a return to the Senate in 2019. While she was successful, she has not given up on governing, which explains why she is in the race for the PDP governorship ticket. This time, she believes that she is the most qualified of the aspirants despite being a woman. She also insists that she is not intimidated by the personalities in the race. “Governance has nothing to do with gender. Governance is about capability; it is about someone who understands the system and to make the system work for his or her people. I have been a member of the Federal House of Representatives for eight years and a senator for the second time. When it comes to contact, I have it. When it comes to knowledge, I have it. When it comes to experience I have it. When it comes to understanding the workings of the National Assembly I have it. “Most importantly, when I put my experience and knowledge together, you can see that I am the most qualified to be the governor of Anambra State. So, I am standing to run for the governorship election of Anambra State not based on gender, not based on zone, but based on capacity and the fact that I am more qualified than any other person that is in the race,” she said.

Godwin Maduka

Maduka is a man of many parts; a medical doctor, businessman and philanthropist. Before his return to Nigeria to join the Anambra State governorship race, he was a clinical faculty supervisor and adjunct professor of Pain Management and Anesthesiology at Touro University in Nevada, United States. He was also a clinical assistant professor of Surgery at UNLV School of Medicine. He owns the Las Vegas Pain Institute and hails from Umuchukwu in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state. Maduka is reputed to have single handedly changed the fortunes of his once sleepy and agrarian community by building every necessary infrastructure needed to turn it to a city. He capped this with a 17-floor medical research institute. One of the billionaires in the race, Maduka is however new in politics reputed for its peculiarity, but he seems not deterred by the tag of a “fresher.” He said of readiness for the battle: “I have been prepared all my life because this is part of who I am. I have never really changed. Preparedness in politics is about knowing the people you are coming to serve. In Anambra today, everybody seems to be enjoying my company. It is not politics, it’s like a carnival because I am among my people and have the capacity to run my own campaign. “I don’t plan to lose. I am not God though I will give Him room to decide what is good for us. If it doesn’t work out, who am I, but I pray to God to let me do that. I am not just coming for Anambra, I am coming for Nigeria.”

Tony Nwoye

Another household name in Anambra politics, Nwoye who represented Anambra East and West in the House of Representatives in the Eight National Assembly has some strong points to launch another shot at the governorship of the state after contesting the last election on the platform of the APC. He had earlier flown the flag of the PDP in the 2013 election. Another medical doctor in the race, Nwoye started his political career as a student unionist. He was the first medical student to become the speaker of the student union house of representative at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He later became the national president of National Association on Nigerian Students (NANS) in 2003. He arose to state power as Assistant Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Anambra State PDP in 2005 and by 2006, at the age of 31, he became the chairman of the State Executive Committee of the Anambra State PDP, making him the youngest state chairman of a major political party in the country at that time. Nwoye has always enjoyed the backing of oil magnet, Chief Arthur Eze, but it is not clear if he has that in quest for the PDP ticket for the November governorship election. His benefactor is now a chieftain of the APC. Also, coming from the same local government area and senatorial zone with the incumbent, Chief Willie Obiano, may be another disadvantage for him as the people of Anambra South are insisting that power shifts to their area.

Godwin Ezeemo

This would be his fourth attempt at the governorship of Anambra State governorship position. His first attempt was on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2010, but he lost the party’s ticket to Chris Ngige (a former governor of Anambra State and now Minister of Labour and Employment). In 2014 and 2017, he ran on the platform of the PPA after which he joined the PDP.

Ugochukwu Uba

He belongs to the famous Uba political dynasty that held sway in Anambra politics at a time. Other leaders of the dynasty are Andy and Chris Uba, his younger siblings. Uba represented Ananmbra South Senatorial District at the National Assembly between 2003 and 2007. He was Secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka prior to his election. He also served as Secretary to the Asset Sharing Committee, which midwifed the sharing of assets between Anambra and Enugu States after the old Anambra was split into two in 1991. The former senator holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; a Master of Arts Degree in Political Science, with specialization in Public Administration and Comparative Government from the same institution, and a Ph.D, specializing in Public Administration and Local Government Administration from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Val Ozigbo

A trained accountant, having studied at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka between 1989 and 1993, Ozigbo later obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with specialisation in Banking and Finance. He had at least 16 years of professional banking experience working in some of the biggest banks in Nigeria. He was Head of Commercial Banking at Diamond Bank Plc for five years between 1995 and 2000, before proceeding to United Bank for Africa where he worked for a year (from 2000 to 2001) as a Business Manager. Between 2001 and 2003, Ozigbo was the Acting Regional Director of FSB International Bank. He later left this role and returned to United Bank for Africa in 2004, where he worked for four years as Head of International Banking. In 2008, he joined Keystone Bank for what would be the last leg of his nearly two-decades-long career in the banking industry. He served as the General Manager of the bank’s Global Transaction operation. After leaving the banking sector, he was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels Plc In 2011, Mr Ozigbo chose to leave behind his years-long career as a commercial, retail, investment and global banker. His next move was to delve into the hospitality business as the CEO of Transcorp Hilton from where he recently retired to join the governorship race.

Obiora Okonkwo

Okonkwo holds a Ph.D in Political Science from the Russian Academy of Science, Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Moscow, and a Professional Fellowship Doctorate from the Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria. He had earlier earned a Master of Science Degree in Economics from the Russian Peoples Friendship University in Moscow and a first class in economics from the Russian Peoples Friendship University in Moscow. He had his early education in Onitsha, Anambra state where he combined trading, assisting his father and managing a horde of apprentices with schooling. He is an accomplished entrepreneur and chairs the boards of several companies including The Dome Entertainment and Hospitality Ltd. He recently floated an airline, United Nigeria Airline.

Chidi Onyemelukwe

Another woman in the race, Onyemelukwe is daughter of Second Republic vice-president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, and was the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in the last election. She is a graduate of Law from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990. She also bagged her Masters’ Degree in International Law and Diplomacy and Masters of Business Administration from the University of Lagos and Duquesne University, Pittsburg in the United States, respectively. She had a brief stint as an Adjunct Professor of Finance in Florida, United States before venturing into real estate and law practice. She once served as chairman, Board of Directors, Federal Housing Authority and also as Special Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs). Onyemelukwe suggested that the zoning arrangement as canvassed by many in Anambra State should be extended to gender and not only geographical zone. “While canvassing zoning based on geographical locations, we should also canvas zoning based on gender. Equity and fairness is not just all about geographical space, it should also be extended to gender… we have women of proven integrity and competence, who have what it takes to lead and be role models in Anambra,” she said.

Chris Azubogu

He presently represents Nnewi North/Nnewi South/ Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. The fourth term member of the Green Chamber obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1985. He was first elected into the House of Representatives in 2015, and has served in following committees; appropriations, interior, aids, loans and debt management, constituency outreach, agriculture, governmental affairs, and houses services/ welfare.

Emeka Etiaba

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and son of a former deputy governor of the state, Dame Virgy Etiaba, is making a second attempt at the governorship position of Anambra State his botched bid in 2010. He is the Principal Counsel and Head of Chambers of Emeka Etiaba SAN, Etiaba & Co. Etiaba believes only one out of 16 aspirants can fly the party’s flag on the election day, but he insists that the individual must be someone, who has all it takes to win the main election and defend the victory. According to him, the aspirant must be dogged, tenacious, a team player, a party man, unblemished, beyond reproach and must come from Anambra South.

Winston Udeh

Another lawyer in the race, Udeh was based in the United States before he returned home to join the race for the governorship of his home state. Walter Okeke A businessman, with interest in oil and gas, Okeke is the Managing Director and CEO of Richwood and Richland International. He is also not new to the governorship race.

Johnny Maduafokwa

Another businessman, Maduafokwa is a Director at Tecon Oil Services, and hails from Ihiala Local Government Area of the State. A loyal party man, Maduafokwa has assured that he will help the PDP win the governorship election in Anambra if a popular and credible candidate emerges. “We are here to determine the future of Anambra State. There have been movements of people from one party to the other, and people have moved in and out of PDP, but I tell you, I will remain in the party. Anambra has been worse off in the past five years, and we are here to restore hope, and we will help PDP to salvage her. “I will support the winner of the ticket provided it’s a clean candidate. We must be careful, we must choose the right person else it may be a waste of time. Don’t choose a candidate because he ran into money or money ran into him. The party must look at the character of the person that is running for the position, before electing him,” he admonished.

Ifedi Okwenna

The former commissioner for Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources in Anambra State is skilled in digital transformation, real estate development, information security, investments and data analytics. He is an alumnus of the University of Lagos. Okwenna was former Special Assistant (Political) in the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Chuma Nzeribe

A former member of the House of Representatives, Nzeribe, was influential during the Chinweoke Mbadinuju administration between 1999 and 2003. The key thematic areas of his campaign are security, affordable housing, electricity, motorable and interconnected roads to ease traffic congestion, affordable Health care services and ease of doing business.

Genevieve Ekwochi

Very little is known about Mrs Ekwochi before she picked the PDP form. She is one of the three women in the race. The third female aspirant in the race Mrs. Ekwochi is a former Commissioner for Women Affairs in the state.

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