d successful were,
Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, the standard bearer of the party for the Delta North
Senatorial District, Hon. Engr. Doris Uboh, the current member representing Ika Federal
Constituency at the House of Representatives, who has been given the nod
by the PDP, Rt. Hon. Prince Sam Obi and Barr. Martin Okonta of Ika North east
and Ika South constituencies respectively.The nation wide
Peoples Democratic Party primaries had generated a lot of controversies and was
marred by irregulaties in some areas. There were strident and sustained
attempts by some interests within the party to undermine the much avowed internal democracy, which in recent times had
become a singsong among the party leadership.
In Ika South
constituency for instance, it is a known fact that no party primaries took
place, for the House of Assembly seat, a situation that necessitated the exit
of some of the aspirants to other
parties to pursue their political
interest. Some of those who left the PDP, in the wake of the
widespread manipulations and dishonesty
within the party, in the area, include Hon. Kingsley Noye Philips who moved to
the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, and Dr. Philip Okwuada who defected to All
Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA . These people left the party, with their
numerous supporters, in protest of what they referred to as lack of internal
democracy and transparency in the PDP.For the Ika
Federal Constituency, where the party managed to organize a primary, the
winner, Mr. Victor Nwokolo was substituted with the current member representing
the constituency , Hon. Doris Uboh, who came fourth in the exercise, which took
place at the Ika National Hall, Agbor.
The determined and
calculated attempt to undermine the result of the Delta North Senatorial
District primaries, which took place at the Cenotaph, Asaba the someday that of
the governorship was held, was however unsuccessful. The state PDP chairman,
Chief Peter Nwaoboshi whose effort at imposing Dr. Mrs. Mariam Alli as the
party candidate came unstucked, was even reported to have denied knowledge of the initial
primaries that produced Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, a situation that led to the
organizing of a second primaries where Okowa still emerged winner, polling more
votes, than he initially ,an indication that he was the preferred choice of
delegates and party faithful.It is expected
that with the release of names of candidates, who will fly the party’s flag at the April polls, the PDP will
make strenuous effort to reconcile all
aggrived parties, particularly in areas where there were no primaries and where
outright imposition of candidates were effected.
In other
political parties, Mr. Festus Chukwuyem Okoh was endorsed by the Democratic
Peoples Party, DPP to run for the Ika Federal Constituency, just as Dr. Mrs.
Isioma Okobah made it on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria
ACN for the same position.
Others who made
the INEC lists include, Mr. Christian Okpambor of the Action Congress of
Nigeria, and Mr. Victor Odiase of Labour party, for Ika North east House of
Assembly seat. While hon. Kingsley Noye Philips of the DPP, Dr. Philip Okwuada
of APGA, and Hon Paul Ebede of Accord Party made were successful to run for the
Ika South House of Assembly position.
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