Anambra: Supreme Court judgment foretaste of victory – PDP candidate

The candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 6th Anambra governorship election, Valentine Ozigbo, has described the Supreme Court judgment affirming his nomination as foretaste of the outcome of the polls and a win for Ndi Anambra.

Ozigbo who spoke with newsmen at the party headquarters in Abuja, Thursday said that the Supreme court was right in describing the parallel primary election organised by a faction of the party as a ‘naming ceremony’.

He said: “We receive the judgment of the Supreme Court, with all five members of the panel affirming unanimously that indeed there was only one primary, there was only one monitored by INEC and there was only one and only authentic candidate of PDP in this election. And indeed, that what was done in the order arena was nothing more than a naming ceremony. Indeed they chose a church, so appropriately put and they conducted a naming ceremony.

“I think this is a win for the Anambra people, because it’s important that people emerge through a free and fair process and so that when anybody becomes a candidate, he becomes the choice of the people, and not the choice of some interlopers” he said.

The governorship candidate who said he was not bothered by the recent exodus of PDP members into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said “we see high profile people in House of Reps, House of Assembly, who for one reason or another, either because they have some EFCC cases, or is it because of their quest for money, or the person is pursuing some parochial agenda, they go to a party that are so unpopular, and unelectable in Anambra state. That’s what the APC is”.

Ozigbo expressed worry over the deplorable security situation in the state and blamed the governor for abdicating his responsibilities.

He continued “Insecurity is troubling because, unfortunately, we keep having cases where lives are lost, and indeed nothing in life is worth the life of one person how much more when more people are found dead. So I’m certainly worried, am pained in my heart what Anambra has become and I believe, obviously, It is because of the election.

“We have a governor in Anambra State and he shouldn’t be abdicating his responsibility, he should be the governor that he was elected to become. And also the agencies should step up and see how they can call people to book, those people who are responsible must be brought to book. If you don’t discipline, if you get away with murder, more murder will happen. So it’s important that they do the needful”.

“The essence of getting more people come, especially for the military, they are not going to get into the polling units, they’re going to be at the outskirts of Anambra State. They are not coming to intimidate anybody but the police whose duty is to monitor, the Police, DSS, they will be present to ensure that nobody is writing result or carrying ballots boxes or stuffs like that.

“And on the other hand, we’re also telling people, don’t be fearful, we cannot be intimidated. It is important that we all come out, ultimately to vote otherwise we will perpetuate the bad leadership indefinitely the impunity that is being practiced and the only way we can change it, is that we go out there and vote”.

The PDP candidate expressed his belief that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the use of the recently introduces Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) has the ability to conduct a reliable free and fair election which will be in favour of PDP.