Awka; Despite the allegation that they masterminded the kidnap of Pa Simeon Soludo, father of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Charles Soludo, culminating in their invitation by the police,
in Awka on Monday, the 23 governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, have reiterated their desire not to be cowed into accepting the “imposition of Soludo and Senator Emma Anosike” as the party’s flag bearers in the coming governorship poll as the confusion trailing the emergence of former CBN Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year’s election , has taken a new twist.
Their position came as a member of Board of Trustees of the party, Chris Uba on Tuesday procured the leave of an Enugu High Court to enforce his fundamental rights in line with section 35 of the 1999 constitution. Uba had approached the court through his lawyer, Chuma Oguejiofor complaining that his rights to personal liberty under the constitution was in jeopardy of being infringed on following his purported invitation by the Anambra State police command over the kidnap.
The candidates, who operate on the banner of Integrity Group, maintained that only a candidate that emerged from a proper primary election of the party would be acceptable to them. They therefor vowed not to accept the candidature of Soludo, unless a proper primaries was conducted for the party in the state.
The aspirants who addressed reporters in Enugu decried what they termed as “embarrassing and spurious allegations”, that they were masterminds of the kidnap, describing it as a dangerous dimension in the politics of Anambra State. They said that the kidnap allegation was only but a distraction to the impending issue of Anambra PDP governorship primary election, adding that it had nothing to do with the rally held by the party in Awka.
The aspirants operating under the aegis of Integrity Group, said at a news conference in Enugu, that despite the “frivolous allegation” that they masterminded the kidnap of Soludo’s father, Mr. Simeon, culminating in their invitation by the police, they would not be cowed to accept the “imposition of Soludo and Senator Emma Anosike” as the party’s flagbearers for the coming governorship poll.
Uba, who is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, had approached the court through his lawyer, complaining that his rights to personal liberty under the constitution was in jeopardy of being infringed upon, following his purported invitation by the Anambra State police command over the kidnap.
In granting the application, the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike, said “the leave so granted shall act as a stay of all actions or matters connected with or related to the complaint of the applicant”. The court adjourned further hearing in the matter to November 10.
However, the 23 aspirants said they felt highly embarrassed by the kidnap allegation, which they described as a dangerous dimension to the politics of Anambra State.
They insisted that the kidnap allegation was nothing but a distraction to the impending issue of Anambra PDP governorship primaries.
Speaking through Chief Chuma Nwofor and Princess Kate Egwu, the group said the rally held in Awka, upon which the police hinged their alleged culpability in the kidnap was basically to chart a new course for the party, which they noted has been in disarray since the “imposition of Soludo” on them.