By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Anambra State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Ndubuisi Nwobu, has returned after the judgment of the Court of Appeal on Monday, reinstating it.
Recall that the committee was dissolved by the national leadership of the party, following a court judgment in a suit instituted by Samuel Anyakorah, which challenged the leadership.
But the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, in a judgement last weekend, reinstated the executive committee, thereby validating the candidature of Valentine Ozigbo, who emerged from a primary election conducted by the party, against Senator Ugochukwu Uba, who had emerged from a parallel primary election.
Briefing journalists on Wednesday at the state party secretariat in Awka, Nwobu said the appeal court judgment has totally put to rest issues about who the authentic candidate of the party is.
According to him, “You are aware that I am back and the appellate court has put to rest the issue of the leadership of the party in this state.
“Some people got a court order which they know can not stand, just to disrupt what we are doing. We only made a sacrifice by stepping aside to ensure that a candidate emerges because we know that the election of a candidate is bound by time.
“Now that Ozigbo has emerged, he has our collective support, and we will work for him to win the governorship election. We are at home with Ozigbo and we are going to work with him to ensure he wins. There is no doubt about who the candidate of the party is any longer, because that has been settled by the judgement of the Court of Appeal.
“We are not surprised about the court order which removed us. This started in 2002 and is perpetuated by people who are using the party for merchandising. They come out every election period and play the same game. We knew it was a temporary game.”
While thanking members of the party’s board of trustees in the state for coming together to support him and ensure he returned as chairman, he however pledged to sack members who are unwilling to turn away from anti-party activities.
“I want to thank the BoT members and other leaders of the party, and all members of the party and its leadership at the grassroots. We are happy that the wishes of the people of Anambra have come to be, and we urge them to rally round the candidate of the party to drum up support for Ozigbo.”
