Maduako Igbokwe l Sunday, August 15, 2021
ANAMBRA, Nigeria – A former governorship aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon. Afam Ezenwafor has joined National Rescue Movement (NRM) with his supporters in a bid to actualised his gubernatorial ambition in Anambra State.
Ezenwafor who spoke with Journalists in Awka Anambra state said he left ADC when he discovered the party’s leadership had planned to favour a particular aspirant in the primary election.
He said that his withdrawal from ADC was attributable to some shady activities prior to the party’s Primary, which did not guarantee a level playing field for all .
“The party adopted a direct primary option. Any keen follower of political parties’ Primaries in Nigeria may agree with me that direct primary approach rarely produces a popular candidate. In support of this assertion, the outcomes of the political parties that adopted Direct Primary to elect candidates for the Anambra State November 6, 2021 governorship election is a case in point.
In addition to the above, participation in the party’s Primary was designed to be restricted only to the members who were financially up-to-date. In other words, aspirants were constrained to make payments on behalf of party members, invariably, to increase the number of delegates that will be on their side. This has three primary implications: (1) A rat-race will ensue amongst the aspirants to out-do one another in making payments for members. (2) After making payments, the aspirants will be issued membership cards based on the amount of money paid and will be at liberty to choose who becomes a delegate. And to guarantee returns on the payments, mercenaries will be recruited as delegates, at the expense of bonafide party members who will be excluded from the exercise. (3) The arrangement promotes money politics, which is one of the banes of politics and elections in our country” he said .
According to him, when he saw all these playing out he withdrew and people thought he had collected money and step down for somebody. He said that he cannot compromise his integrity as a young man who is desirous of righting the wrong in the society .
“It may interest you to know that my withdrawal from the party’s Primary was predicated on privy information and due diligence. I became mindful that “whatever that killed the mother hen will also not allow the chicks to open their eyes” he stated. He called on the youths of the state to stand up and take over the leadership and reposition Anambra State for good.
” Therefore, I call on every youth and young person in schools, in the markets, on the streets and all walks of life, irrespective of political and religious leanings, clannish sentiments to rise up to the occasion and join this movement.
Our demographic and energetic advantages as youths and young people will yield the desired results. Let us leverage on the current window provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to harness our voting strengths by registering as a voter, apply to replace our Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the case of loss or defacement, and transfer our PVCs in the event of relocation. Let us talk to one another and encourage ourselves to actualize these.
We solicit the support and prayers of our elders in this mission to rescue our state from collapse” he said.
