Primaries: Ex-PDP Chairman Battles Mu’azu

A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Okwesilizie Nwodo, is set to battle the incumbent Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu and other members of the National Working a Committee over the outcome party’s senatorial primary conducted in Enugu North senatorial District.

The former national chairman of the party is said not comfortable with the party’s subtle plan to adopt the result of the primary submitted by the electoral panel, led by Sen. Anthony George Manzo which was said to have declared Chukwuka Utazi as the party’s candidate for Enugu Northsenatorial zone.

At the Manzo-led election, which was held at Government Field Nsukka, Utazi polled 324 votes, to beat Nwodo whoscored mere four votes while another aspirant, Dr Martin Oke scored three votes.

But at another primary, Nwodo was pronounced winner of the election.

A member of the party’s NWC however said that the party has taken a position to recognize the result submitted by Manzo, who incidentally is the Chief of Staff to Senate President, David Mark.

Manzo, it was gathered, had refused to listen to dissenting voices asking him to adopt the result of the parallel primary where Nwodo was pronounced as candidate.

Utazi has however vowed not to concede his certificate of return, saying that he emerged as candidate at the primary conducted at the designated venue.

He said, ” The party gave us guidelines, told us what to do and Nwodo didn’t come and at the end of the day, while we were stil conducting election, somebody called our people on phone and told us that Nwodo has announced himself the winner, even when the primary was still going on at the designated venue.

“In Igbo parlance, if somebody crowns himself a king, he would also at the appropriate time, uncrown himself, because in our place, you don’t make yourself a king.

December 13, 2014