ANAMBRA 2017: Nwoye, Uba, Moghalu, Uzor test strength in APC

As politicians and their parties begin to dig trenches in Anambra state in preparation for the battle of who unseats Governor Willie Obiano in November, the picture is getting clearer.

In the All Progressives Congress (APC) 12 aspirants will be testing their popularity to determine who flies the party’s flag in the coming governorship poll slated for November 18, 2017.

The 12 aspirants cleared are: Chukwuma Paul, Madu Nonso, Moghalu George, Nwibe Bart, Nwike Patrick, Nwoye Tony, Obidigbo Chike, Okonwko D, Onunkwo Johnbosco, Uba Andy, Uchegbu Adaobi, and Uzoh Obinna‎.

Among the aspirants, the most viable ones who seem to have a better chance, and the war chest to clinch the ticket are notably Uba, Nwoye, Uzoh and Moghalu who could be regarded as the real contenders in the fight to snatch the Anambra APC governorship ticket.

Chairman of the APC screening panel, which cleared the aspirants, Agboola Ajayi, said on Saturday that August 19, the date of the party’s primary, will bring forth the candidate of the party.

Ajayi, who is also the deputy governor of Ondo State, while presenting his committee’s report, said all the aspirants did well and are able to lead the party in the state.

The committee chairman said all the aspirants complied with the guidelines and signed an undertaken, affirming that they would support whoever emerges from amongst them as the party’s candidate.

Andy Uba, (original name Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba) a serving senator, and one time presidential aide is not new to the Anambra governorship contest.

Read also: ANAMBRA 2017: Ex-FRSC boss Chidoka set to battle UPP ticket with Offodile

Although he got into the Senate on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) he defected to the APC in the wake of a leadership crisis that bedeviled his former party. The move was however viewed by many analysts as one made out of a need to dodge perceived persecution and political positioning, rather than conviction.

It would be recalled that Uba had tasted the governorship seat for a very short time after he won the state’s governorship election in April 2007, but was asked by the court to vacate the seat for Peter Obi in June of same year.

He also contested the position in 2010 but came in third.

Nwoye like Uba is also not new to the contest. Presently a member of the House of Representatives, and a medical doctor by training, Nwoye, just like Uba jumped ship from the PDP under which he contested for the governorship seat in 2013.

Moghalu is a former national secretary of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He is also the National Auditor of his party the APC.

His major claim to the ticket is that by equity, it is the turn of Anambra South senatorial district, which he’s from, to produce the next governor of the state.

According to him, “Equity is about fairness. Anambra South zone did one tenure of four years under Mbadinuju and the position moved to Anambra central, which occupied the position under Peter Obi and our leader, Senator Chris Ngige for 11 years.

“After 11 years, it moved to Anambra North zone, which governor Obiano would soon complete the zone’s four year tenure. Equity and fairness require that the slot should come back to the south district to do another four years before it becomes the turn of any other zone. That is equity; that is fairness; that is good conscience.”

Uzoh cut his political teeth in the PDP and, in 2003, offered himself to serve as governor. He later jumped to the National Democratic Party (NDP), under which he contested the Anambra governorship election, along with Dr. Chris Ngige of the PDP and Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Uzoh, who is regarded by many as a philanthropist says he is convinced to go into politics to contribute his quota to the socio-political development of his state, Anambra.

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