Delta LG poll: Uduaghan provided level playing field for PDP primaries – Macaulay

The Delta State Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party, Raymond Macaulay, has dismissed allegations that the process that led to the emergence of the party’s candidate for the upcoming local government poll in the state was influenced in favour of some candidates.
Rather, Macaulay said what transpired was that the party and the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, provided a level playing ground for a free and fair contest among all the aspirants.
Speaking against the backdrop of allegations that a former Governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, prevailed on Uduaghan and the Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, to ensure the emergence of some aspirants, Macaulay said nothing could be further from the truth.
He said it was normal in every political contest for there to be losers but that what was expected of good party men was for them to find ways of forging forward instead of crying wolf where there was none.
He said it also was not out of place for some people to have bandied the name of Ibori in the process that led to the election because of his perceived continued relevance in the politics of the state.
Macaulay, however, said the allegation of favouritism should be taken with a pinch of the salt as Uduaghan and the party ensured a level playing ground for all aspirants and never favoured anyone.
A group, the Aniocha South Political Forum, had faulted the emergence of Chief Isaac Ozor Anwuzia as the candidate of the PDP for the chairmanship position of Aniocha South Local Government Area.
In a co-signed protest statement on Monday, Engr. Mike Ifegaeme, Hon. Chukwuka Uwanine, Nkeiruka Tobechukwu and Comrade P. Y. Nwokoro, in Asaba, the group alleged that the emergence of Anwuzia was influenced by Ibori.
However, Macaulay described the allegation as “unfounded and mischievous.”
According to him, inasmuch as there was no absolutely perfect election in the world, the contest for the local government poll within the PDP could only be adjudged to be free, fair and credible because of the way it was handled.
He said: “After any election, there is bound to be problems, either genuinely or not, among aggrieved members.
“The tendency, especially among those that lost the contest, to foment trouble and cry wolves cannot be ruled out.
“The leadership of the party in Aniocha South Local Government Area came up with a consensus candidate.
“If there is crisis thereafter, the leaders are capable of resolving their internal crisis.
“The allegation that Ibori ordered the governor and the state party chairman to deliver him (Anwuzia) is unfounded.
“Yes, Ibori is a national leader, an accomplished politician of great repute in the state, which is why anybody that wants to succeed in the politics of the state will want to use his name to boost his campaign, so I am not surprised if that was what the aspirant in question did to outsmart other aspirants, who are now aggrieved in the council area.
“I am aware it is not true that Ibori used Nwaoboshi or the state governor to foist anointed candidates on the council areas.
“Instead, it was the people’s decision.”
A highly placed source within the party also told The Eagle Online that those making the allegations were outsiders in the party.
They were alleged to have worked against the party in previous elections in the state, especially during the governorship election that returned Uduaghan to power.
The source said: “Getting such complaints from a group like that is not strange.
“These are people who have been placed within the party as spoilers.
“They are the the black legs in the party.”
The Delta State Independent Electoral Commission has fixed October 25, 2014 for the conduct of the poll in the 25 Local Government Areas of the state.