By Ekene Okoye
Controversy is raging over N5m gift by one of the APC
Candidates to the party’s “Take-over” Committee for Anambra which seems to
buttress the claims that the contraption of former PDP politicians of South
East extraction headed by former Governor Jim Nwobodo may be doomed even before
its take-off.
The Committee which has been dubbed “Commanders of an
Invasion Army,” is already embroiled in brouhaha over a meager N5m donated to
it by one Barth Nwibe at Finotel Awka, shortly after they were unveiled.
It was reliably gathered that when the said amount was
handed over to the members, former governor Orji Uzo kalu queried the meager
sum brought by the candidate but was counteracted by Chief Nwobodo who termed
it “money for kolanut,” thus creating a loophole for the members to pocket it.
Melee however arose when other contestants got wind of the
N5m bribe and the likelihood that it may unduly influence outcome of the yet to
be conducted APC Gubernatorial Primaries for Anambra by swaying the decisions
in favour of Nwibe. Even as Nwibe made spirited denials of any intention to
influence the team, others insisted that the Committee should either collect
equal sum from each candidate for “kolanut” or return what they took from the
said Nwibe for good order sake.
Already, observers of the unfolding drama in the APC
“Take-over” Committee for Anambra were worried that a group which was given the
party’s mandate and warned against undue influence by the contestants fell
easily to entrapment. An APC chieftain in Awka, Chief Arize Nweke who got wind
of the N5m controversy expressed surprise that the Committee could not wait
before messing themselves up, even though it is obvious that they were
out to line their pockets in Anambra.
A prominent party official who has the ear of the National
Chairman Chief John Oyegun was overheard complaining that the group cannot
disgrace the APC. Said he: “These men were deliberately selected so they can
bring their experience from the PDP elections to help APC get at least 25% in
Anambra, but greed will not allow to avoid making a mess of the whole thing.”
Already some members of the Committee have dissociated
themselves from the mess while expressing support to the handling of the
“kolanut money” issue with care to avoid a situation where some APC candidates
turn round to fight the party even before the elections proper.
Efforts to get Chief Nwobodo to clarify the issues have so
far proved abortive.
By Ekene Okoye
