Nigeria’s Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, said on Monday that the Peoples Democratic Party would reclaim Anambra State from the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the next gubernatorial election.
Ekwueme told the News Agency of Nigeria in Awka, the state capital, that Anambra State was a PDP state in terms of the leaning of the majority of eligible voters.
He said it was sad that the PDP had been pushed to the opposition because of the manner candidates were imposed on the party eight years ago.
He said that in 2007, some of the PDP members were aware of how the then APGA candidate and now Governor of the state, Peter Obi, emerged.
He said: “Thereafter, it became difficult for PDP to reclaim the state due to unbridled and highly repressive ambitions of some of its members.
“I hope that in the forthcoming dispensation, we shall have one candidate and check the excesses of some of our members who want to be governor at all cost.”
On the non-conduct of council polls in the state, Ekwueme said it had affected the pace of development at the grassroots.
He noted that reports that the council poll would be held soon were not in the best political interest of the state.
He said: “The situation of the local governments in Anambra, especially concerning election in the past eight years, is really sad.
“The local government, which is the lowest level of government and directly impacts on the life of rural masses, should not be run by appointed committees for that long.
“The constitution guaranteed an elected executive and it should not be replaced by transition committees as done by the government of Anambra for the past eight years.”
Ekwueme said that rather than have council poll between now and the end of the year, it could be delayed further till the governorship election was conducted.
He said: “It will influence the outcome of the governorship election.
“My own counsel is that since we have endured for eight years without council poll, we should wait after the guber election.
“The next governor should conduct the council polls so that we can have the full complement of a democratic structure at that level.
“It is diversionary and ill-conceived to dissipate energy on council polls now.”
The elder statesman urged politicians to avoid extreme selfishness and think of what they could do for the people and the progress of Anambra State.
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