By Chibota Edozie
As the Peoples Democratic Party holds its National Assembly primaries today and tomorrow nationwide, there are palpable fears in the camp of Engr. Vita Abba, the immediate past Enugu State PDP chairman over his faith in today’s House of Representatives primaries.
Abba is gunning for the Igbo-Eze South/Nsukka Federal House of Representatives.
THE CITIZEN reliably gathered that external forces are pilling presure to change the hand of clock against the political ambition of Abba who had already received the blessing of the State Governor, Barr Sullivan Chime at the stakeholders meeting held during the week.
On Wednesday precisely, stakeholders of the party from the Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency met at the Governor’s Lodge and settled for Abba as their preferred candidate for today’s Federal House of Representatives Primary election but the table has just turned against him barely 72 hours after the endorsement, THE CITIZEN can report.
Instead, his closest rival, Hon. Ike Ugwuegede, a former Commissioner in the state might be delivered today, bearing any last minute changes.
The Party in the spirit of rotation, zoned the position to Nsukka Local Government Area after considering the fact that Hon. Pat. Asadu who is from Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area has occupied the office for two-term of eight years. The consultation exercise of the Party has successfully taken place in all the eight federal constituencies in the State.
However, it was gathered that after the endorsement, the party Secretariat was inundated with complaints over the emergence of Abba as consensus candidate who people alleged that he had a hand in the recent political upheaval in the state.
The source further stated that the party leadership started tinkering with the idea of dropping him to forestal they described as “further trouble”, as it was said that many party members had hatched plans to stage protest vote against him and the wishes of the governor on the field today. But sensing danger ahead, the party quickly “reviewed his candidature and said that his political capital has fast diminished in a very unprecedented speed and that if unchecked will affect the party’s electoral fortune negatively”, said a source.
At the time of filling this report, there were indications that the two local government chairmen in the constituency have been briefed on the new development and we’re directed to swing the votes in favour of Ugwuegede.
Ugwuegede was said to have spent time and other resources in the build up to the primaries. “Not only that, he has been making wide consultations which is working in his favour. He has also worked very hard for this purpose. So it’s not surprising that the pendulum is swinging to his side,” the source said.
Abba’s trouble may not be unconnected with the recent developments in the State’s party leadership where his sudden resignation opened the flank of the governor to attack by political opponents which later culminated to the governor sacrificing his Senatorial ambition on the utter of peace.
The withdrawal of Chime from the race of the Enugu West Senatorial District, in line with the peace accord brokered between the Governor and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu by Mr. President and other top leaders of the Party was said to have been triggered by Abba’s resignation.
“In politics, nothing is cast on stone. Things might turn in Abba’s favour before the last delegate cast his vote today in his constituency,” a source said.
However, all efforts to reach Mr. Louis Amoke, his personal assistant before press time proved abortive.
