Enugu North Bye-Election: Aspirants Blame Nwodo For NDC’s Abysmal Show

Some senatorial aspirants in the just-concluded senatorial bye-election in Enugu North Senatorial District of Enugu State on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, have attributed the poor show of the party to the unilateral handpicking of the party’s senatorial candidate, Oscar Ossai, by the former Governor of Enugu State, Dr Okwey Nwodo.

Those who spoke with our correspondent in Enugu on Monday warned that unless the proper procedure is adopted in selecting candidates of the party, the enthusiasm that welcomed the party following the defection of the former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi, to NDC would wane in the state.

They alleged that Nwodo in conjunction with the state government handpicked all the candidates in the state to pave ways for the APC candidates.

“I didn’t anticipate anything contrary,” one of the aspirants said on condition of anonymity. “We had all anticipated to be on a level playing field, but Nwodo and his interests influenced the emergence of the senatorial candidate, as well as other candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections. You can see the result! Nobody is against anybody emerging in a free and fair contest. But when the process is flawed, we are left to ponder if we are on the same page. That is why NDC failed in the bye-election, landing a distant third position.”

Another aspirant warned the national leadership of NDC that the same fate might befall the party’s presidential and other candidates for elective positions during the 2027 general elections unless the right thing was done in the state.
He alleged that Dr Nwodo, a former National Chairman of the PDP, was working in the interest of the All Progressives Congress-led state government.

In his words, “I pity NDC because the leadership handed power to Okwey Nwodo to select candidates in Enugu State, on behalf of the party, not knowing that Nwodo has compromised with APC in Enugu State.”

Our correspondent reports that the candidate of the APC, Mr Ikeje Asogwa, won the election with 162, 360 votes. PDP’s Dr Nestor Ezeme polled 9,299 votes to come second while NDC’s Oscar Ossai scored 3,129. African Democratic Party’s Chika Idoko got 1,676 votes. The election was held to elect a senator to serve out the tenure of the late Senator Okey Ezea who died last year.

Reactions from NDC faithful

It was observed that some faithful of NDC, during the bye-election, voted for the PDP candidate in protest to what they termed “injustice and high handedness of the handlers of NDC in Enugu State”.

“We are disappointed,” laments Innocent Apeh, from Ogrute, Igboeze North LGA. “We are watching the handing over of NDC to Nwodo and co in the state. Nobody is ready to fight for the party under this condition. If NDC were to be properly run the way we planned it, no party can defeat us. We would have shown our strength. We dreamt a rebirth of the 2023 when Labour Party, with Obi as the presidential candidate, won a landslide in Enugu State.”

Another member, Jacob Arum, from Itchi, Igboeze South LGA, called on the national leadership of the party to allow the people’s choice to lead NDC in the state.

He said, “NDC will not do well during the 2027 general elections in Enugu State unless the handpicking and its leadership are returned to the people that the masses want. We see the current presumed leaders of the party as moles. Let the national arm of the party do the right thing, or risk all elective positions during the main elections.”