HUNDREDS of indigenes of Oboffia Awkunanaw, in Nkanu West
Local Government Area of Enugu State protested what they called plans by some
political leaders to impose an unpopular candidate on the community ahead of
the November 4, Council elections in the state...
The ward meeting of the
People’s Democratic Party, PDP, was forced to an abrupt end as tempers
continued to rise. Majority of the people, it was reported, favoured an
outright primary election to select a councillorship candidate for the ward,
but the party leadership was said to have made up its mind on a particular
candidate. Speaking to journalists, Engr. Onyebuchi Nnaji, expressed regrets that
the party leadership refused to give room for a primary election; “they came to
play a script and we refused. “The story they told us is different from what we
are seeing according to the guideline of the party; ‘that where there is a
disagreement, there should be option A4’. So, we came here expecting to do the
primary but instead they told us to start eating and drinking. “The problem is
that people are doing what they think they can do; they brought an unpopular
candidate and want to force him on the people. There was no primary here and if
nothing is done,this can affect our party in this area. “Our people came out en
masse to vote for the candidate of their choice but they were not given that
opportunity and we cannot accept that candidate. It’s not about me. The entire
Oboffia does not accept him and that is why they refused to conduct a primary
here. So if they want this party to thrive, they should do the right thing”,
Nnaji concluded. PDP stakeholder from Oboffia, Kelvin Okeke said that it was
when they arrived the venue of the meeting that they realized that people were
handpicked for the meeting. “It became clear that they had other plans, when
they said people should start drinking. They said someone has been picked for
the councillorship position.” “In an attempt to put things right they started
fighting and they tore some people’s clothes. The government should be able to
come to our aid, to help us because we have had enough of this imposition. And
the candidate is not a credible one that’s why the entire community is
protesting; if you must impose, let it be an acceptable candidate, one who is
worthy of our votes.
No comments: