By Francis Onyeukwu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Undoubtedly, party primaries are crucial in the electoral process as their winners carry the hopes and aspirations of parties into the main contest.
Recently, in Anambra, political parties held their primaries for the Nov. 8 off cycle governorship election in the state.
The aspirants across major parties jostled for their parties’ tickets in one of such most heated exercises in the recent years in the state.
The emergence of candidates in the primaries held between March 20 and April 10 set the ball rolling for a more intense politicking in the state.
The candidates who emerged are Prof. Charles Soludo, the incumbent governor, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Dr George Muoghalu, Labour Party (LP).
Others are Chief Jude Ezenwafor, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Charles Onyeze, Accord, Chief Paul Chukwuma for Young Progressive Party (YPP), Mr Chika-Jerry Okeke, BOOT Party, and Ozo-Jeff Nweke, Action Alliance.
Also, in the list are Mr Patrick Obianyo, African Democratic Congress and Mrs Chioma Ifemuludike of African Action Congress, the only female candidate in the race and Mr Jude Umejiego, a factional Labour Party candidate for Sen. Nenadi Usuman-led group.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had while unveiling the timetable for the Anambra governorship election scheduled for Nov. 8, stated that political parties must conduct their primaries between March 20 and April 10.
Mr Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, who spoke on behalf of INEC, stressed the importance of adhering to the election timetable.
Available records showed that 12 out of the 19 registered political parties submitted their schedules for the governorship primaries.
With the April 10 deadline date now past, the big questions political analysts are posing verges on the variables that will be vital in determining the next executive governor of the state?
How can the voters avoid the mistakes of the past in the quest to getting a right person as the next chief executive?
Observers have blamed the challenges plaguing the nation’s journey to advanced democracy on multifaceted factors coming from both politicians and the masses.
They, however, insist that if public office holders with the right attributes are voted into offices, our democracy will not only advance, but the living standard of Nigerians will get better.
“Public officers should possess these attributes, selflessness, integrity, honesty, objectivity, accountability and openness.
“Equally expected of them is avoiding the placement of selves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try to undermine the system for personal reasons, act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence-based parameters in handling issues.
“Again, the officials must be mindful of and caring for the underprivileged in the society, prioritising the growth and well-being of individuals and the communities among others and these qualities will help steer the leadership positions of the country to safe harbour.
“But the challenges militating against our democracy which the Anambra people must look out for are vote buying, thuggery, violence, and manipulation of figures by electoral officials.
“The electorate as well must check the attitude of accepting money, items such as rice, spaghetti, wrapper, salt among others as a guide for them to cast votes to a preferred candidate during elections as such contribute greatly to the evil holding our society down.
“As in many states and communities, it is imperative to mention some major challenges facing the 21 Local Government Areas of Anambra and the communities,’’ a political analyst said.
On his part, Chief Basil Ejidike, the state chairman of APC, said the electorate should be wary of the antics of the sugar-coated tongue politicians, whose stock in trade was to reel out mouth-watering promises to deceive the masses during elections.
Ejidike also called on the Anambra people to strive and reconnect the state to the centre by voting the APC candidate.
“Before now, Anambra has played the opposition politics, supporting APGA and this has not helped in many respects on our quest for the all-round accelerated development of the state and more we understand and correct this, the better for us,’’ he said.
More so, Mr Ugochukwu Emeh, the chairman, Labour Party in Anmabra, advised the people to look at the antecedents of the candidates jostling for governorship on Nov. 8 before supporting them.
“Even though, it is difficult to decipher what anyone has in mind, it is good people look at the antecedents of the governorship candidates before you trust the person with your vote.
“This is important because the persons occupying very important positions as governors have so much to do in terms of the living standard and future of multitude of people in a state.
“If the electorate could be guided by the past records of the candidates, especially in the area of sincerity, exposure among other qualities, that will go a long way to changing the trajectory in democratic governance in the country,’’ he said.
Available statistical analysis shows that the people are seriously faced with security problems, a more frightening dimension in the state being the menace of secret cult with attendant killings in the area.
Stakeholders say that equally confronting the state is gully erosion problem, unemployment especially among the youths, inadequate infrastructure in the area of roads and educational institutions.
They also highlight the challenges in livestock and other food production, poor welfare package to the workforce, inadequate power and water supply, inadequate health care facilities and poor drainage among others.
With the list of needs of Anambra people still counting, putting a round peg in a round hole come Nov. 8 poll will help in fixing the state.
Anambra, created in 1991, currently has estimated population figure of more than 6.3 million people with Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi as the three major urban centres.
For instance, Onitsha main market is rated as the biggest market in the whole of West Africa, while Nnewi, the base of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) is industrial hub within the South-East zone.
However, getting it right in Anambra will mean a lot to drawing democratic roadmap for other states of Nigeria on the journey towards advancing our democracy.
In the light of the aforementioned, political pundits say the Nov.8 off cycle election is expected to be a paradigm shift from the previous elections in the state.
They say a well informed electorate and transparent conduct of the exercise by the electoral umpire will be pivotal to the success of the upcoming Anambra governorship election.(Ends)
