Anambra 2013: INEC unveils 23 guber candidates

*Bars unlisted candidates from campaigning
*Lists Ukachukwu as PDP candidate

File photo: INEC officials

FIFTY-TWO days to the November 16 governorship elections in Anambra State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, unveiled the names of 23 candidates that will do battle for the Anambra top job. In the list, there are only four female deputy governorship candidates. The rest are men.

Multiple candidates

In an unprecedented move, the commission also dealt with the menace of multiple candidates in the state by barring unlisted candidates from canvassing for votes, warning that anyone, who does the contrary is guilty of an electoral offence.

In a statement by Mr. Kayode Idowu, chief press secretary to INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, the commission said: “In line with the provisions of  Section 31 (3) of the  Electoral Act 2010, as amended, the Independent National  Electoral Commission, INEC, has today, September 24, 2013, published  the Form CF001  (Personal Particulars of Candidate) of candidates nominated by political  parties for the November 16th governorship  election in Anambra  State.

”A total of 23 political parties nominated candidates for the governorship and deputy governorship slots. Two political parties, namely the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had issues with the candidates they intend to sponsor before the closure of nominations on September 17, 2013. But the Federal High Court in Awka eased the contention over APGA’s nomination by vacating its order directing the Commission to accept two governorship candidates from the party.

For  the PDP, the Commission resolved to list Nicholas Chukwuejekwu Ukachukwu as the governorship candidate in accordance with the latest order as delivered by the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/296/2013 – Nicholas Chukwuejekwu Ukachukwu vs. Dr. Tony Nwoye & 3 others.

Advises political parties and the General Public

”The Commission hereby advises political parties,their members and the general public that only those on the list published by it are allowed to conduct electioneering campaigns. Any violation of this rule amounts to an electoral offence and security agencies are urged to intervene as
such.”

List of the candidates(in alphabetical order)

Okeke Chika Jerry (AA)
Chukwuemeka Nwankwo (ACCORD)
Dr Ifeatu Ekelem (ACD)
Engr Anthony Anene (ACPN)
Comrade Aaron Igweze (AD)
Chief Anayo Arinze (ADC)
Patrick Chukwuka Ibeziako (APA)
Senator Chris Ngige (APC)
Chief Willie Obiano (APGA)
Chief Austin Nwangwu (CPP)
Chijioke Geofrey Ndubuisi (DPP)
Christian Ikechukwu Otti (ID)
Chief Dennis Nwaforka Oguge (KOWA)
Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah (LP)
Pastor Simon Okafor (MPPP)
Okoknkwo Webster (NCP)
Prince Leonard Uchendu (NNPP)
Nicholas Ukachukwu (PDP)
Godwin Ezeemo (PPA)
Hon Basil Ijedinma (PPN)
Onuarah Onyeachonam (SDP)
Barr Okoye Godson (UDP)
Prince Akaneebu Ogochukwu (UPP).

Nigeria Will No Longer Participate In DV-2015 Lottery Program- US

The United States’ Diversity Visa Lottery program will no longer be open to Nigerians, the U.S. Department of State has said.

A statement released by the Department on Sunday, listed Nigeria as one of the countries barred from participating in the upcoming DV-2015 which opens on October 1 and closes on November 2, 2013.

According to the statement, the disqualification from the program is because “more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years.”

“For DV-2015, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories,and Vietnam”.

It added that “Changes in eligibility this year: For DV-2015, natives of Nigeria are no longer eligible”. However, since entries are based on country of birth, Nigerians born in eligible countries can still apply.

Many other African countries, however, remain eligible to participate in the program.

The department listed African countries that are eligible for the DV-2015 to include people from Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti, Egypt*, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles and Sierra Leone.

Entries for the DV-2015 opens on October 1 and closes on November 2, 2013

ANAMBRA 2013: The guber line up

Ngige, APC; Obiano, APGA; Nwoye, PDP; Uba, Labour

Senator Chris Ngige, last Monday, emerged the candidate of the All Progessives Congress, APC, joining the trio of Tony Nwoye, (PDP); Willie Obiano, (APGA) and Ifeanyi Uba (Labour) as candidates of the major parties in the governorship contest due on November 16. Charles Kumolu who was in Awka for the primaries gives a rundown of the intrigues that shadowed the parties’ primaries.

PDP
Indeed the state chapter of the PDP, did not fail to disappoint those who have for years looked up to it as a centre of intrigues.

Despite the acclaimed agreement by all 15 candidates to abide by the rules put forth by the national party through the Ike Emeakayi led executive, one of the candidates pulled out at the last minute to participate in the primaries conducted by the Chief Ejike Oguebego faction of the party.

The mainstream primaries conducted by the Emeakayi faction and supervised by the Governor Ibrahim Shema led team delegated by the national secretariat was originally scheduled to hold at the Alex Ekwueme Square at 10 am, but did not commence until 5: 45 following a tedious accreditation exercise at the Women Development Centre, WDC.

Conducting of primaries
While the accreditation was ongoing at WDC, the faction headed by Oguebego, was also conducting its primaries at Emaus House.

It was gathered that many of the 1500 delegates from the 326 wards that voted were financially enticed by agents of the aspirants. But how many of them succumbed remains an issue especially given that Nwoye, who won the primaries would not be considered the richest or a moneybag in the Anambra sense of estimation of money.

Also, delegates had a hectic time entering the venue, as some were refused accreditation for non possession of the party’s membership card.

A Director General of the campaign of one of the aspirants, who spoke with Vanguard on condition of anonymity, regretted that eligible delegates were disenfranchised through that process. “Delegates are being stopped because they don’t have party card. That is not supposed to be the criteria. I have never voted with a voter’s card before. Once you are a delegate, it is assumed that you have fulfilled all the needed requirements to participate in the exercise,” he said. However, delegates were later driven in buses to Alex Ekwueme Square for voting at the end of the exhaustive accreditation exercise.

While this was going on, the Oguebego group, whose leadership is believed to be inclined to the Ubas, had commenced voting an hour earlier. Not surprisingly, Senator Andy Uba emerged victorious in the contest that was boycotted by all but one of the 15 aspirants.

Nwoye’s victory at the end of the exercise conducted by the team delegated by the national secretariat was shocking to many, especially to those outside the mainstream of the PDP in Anambra State. This was especially so since he was not regarded as one of the money bags in the party and was not known to be among the frontline aspirants.

APGA’s coronation party/Maxi Okwu factor
While stakeholders were still imagining the developments in the PDP, the outcome of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA primaries confirmed insinuations on the possible role of the incumbency factor in the polls. The APGA primaries which took place two days after the PDP primaries at the WDC turned out to be a coronation exercise of sorts.

Before it commenced, there were rumors that three aspirants had stepped down for Obiano. And that however played out when one of the candidates Mr. Patrick Onochie announced that he was stepping down.

An attempt to step down in absentia by one of the aspirants was declined by Chief Martins Agbaso, the chairman of the electoral panel. He insisted that aspirants could only step down either physically or through a written note. It was therefore, easy to know were the pendulum would swing to, even before the end of the exercise.

Though Obiano’s victory did not trigger off feelings of disquietness among the party faithful analysts are still to be convinced that the former banker is rugged enough to trudge the difficult Anambra political terrain.

Chairman the party’s Board of Trustess, BoT, Chief Tim Menakaya, is, however, not one of such skeptics saying in a chat with Vanguard that Obiano is an asset to the party. “His emergence is an asset to the party because he is clean and has got good background. He represents a new dawn. That was why he was elected. He emerged because he will continue the good work the party is doing in Anambra.”

The impression that Obiano’s emergence, had foreclosed any possible controversy, appears to be a mere imagination following the election of Obidigbo by the Maxi Okwu faction. Obidigbo was returned unopposed with a score of 450 votes and was also handed the party’s flag by Okwu, who commended the delegates for the large turnout.

Ngige and the APC prospects
Before the September 2 All Progressive Congress,APC, primaries, the news that the national leadership of the party, had settled for Senator Chris Ngige, was generally hailed across the state. Though Chief Godwin Ezemou refused to step down despite entreaties from the APC hierarchy, Ngige still triumphed in the statewide Option A4 primaries conducted last Monday.

His emergence nonetheless, the once famous electoral potentials of the former governor have been seriously desecrated by the recent saga arising from the deportation of some alleged destitute persons from Lagos to Anambra State.

Obi’s commissioner hits Okwu

Three months ago, Governor Peter Obi and his entourage in Anambra State were all over Chief Maxi Okwu who they had proclaimed the national chairman of APGA. But with the prospect of proclaiming a successor for the governor slipping by their hands after the court proclaimed Chief Victor Umeh as chairman, Obi and his men quietly changed allegiance.

It was as such not surprising that the Anambra State Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Planning Mr. John Akirika yesterday hit at Okwu over the latter’s conduct of a parallel governorship congress following the emergence of Obi’s man, Willie Obiano as winner of the primaries done by Umeh’s faction.

Chike Obidigbo emerged at that primary conducted by Umeh. Akirika, who is a former state secretary of the party, told Vanguard that Obidigbo’s emergence from the Maxi Okwu faction, would not affect the chances of the party in the polls.

“I am not aware of any other congress outside the congress duly convened and held at the Women Development Centre, Awka in which the leader of the party, Gov Peter Obi and other national officers of the party participated. Secondly, nobody ever raised any issue questioning the authenticity and legality of that congress.

“Chief Maxi Okwu never raised any molecule of protest against that congress. So it is a very great surprise for me to hear that another congress was purportedly held. I will say that the purported congress organized by Chief Maxi Okwu that produced Dr Chike Obidigbo did not satisfy the requirements of the law neither will it be acceptable to the leadership of the party.”

“An APGA event in which the national leader, Mr. Peter Obi, the authentic national chairman of the party confirmed by the judiciary, Chief Victor Umeh and other national officers were not there, cannot stand the test of time. So sounding personal and legal, I don’t think that the presentation of Chike Obidigbo will stand.’’

Ozil completes Arsenal move

The Germany star has agreed a stunning €47 million move from Real Madrid to the Emirates, signing a five-year contract with the Premier League side

Mesut Ozil has sealed a spectacular €47 million move to Arsenal after signing a five-year contract.

The Gunners have smashed their transfer record to land the Germany international, who underwent the second part of his medical in Munich on Monday after agreeing personal terms with the club.

Goal has learned that Ozil has signed a deal worth around €150,000-a-week that will run until 2018 after Real Madrid gave the green light to his departure.

He will comfortably become Arsenal’s highest-paid player as well as the club’s record signing, after Arsene Wenger sanctioned the first €23m-plus transfer in their history.

Arsenal were in advanced discussions with Real to sign Ozil before Monday night’s transfer deadline.

The two clubs agreed a €47m fee before Ozil’s representatives began discussing personal terms with senior Arsenal officials.

An agreement was reached late on Monday morning before Ozil underwent medical tests in Germany, where he had been based as the national team prepare for their forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Arsenal are hoping to sign at least three players on deadline day as they try to make amends for a frustrating summer of transfer activity at the club.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano has already had a medical, which he passed on Monday morning, and has agreed the terms of a season-long loan from Palermo. Arsenal are also in talks with Chelsea about a season-long loan move for Demba Ba.

The Gunners have still not abandoned hope of signing Angel Di Maria, also from Real, for €30m.

The Gunners tabled a bid for Di Maria last week and the offer is still believed to be on the table. However, the Argentine winger has begun the season in impressive form and is reluctant to cut his ties with the Santiago Bernabeu.