By Gabriel Atumeyi
365Daily– The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and factional candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Charles Soludo, from the list of cleared candidates for the November 6 Anambra Governorship election.
According to a statement issued by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the reason for omitting PDP’s candidate is based on a Court Order for the exclusion of the party.
The name of the former Central Bank Governor (CBN), Charles Soludo, was replaced with that of another factional candidate of the party, Micheal Umeoji.
365Daily had earlier reported that the Victor Ike Oye-led faction of the party petitioned the INEC over alleged plans to replace the name of its candidate elected in its Anambra governo with that of the candidate who emerged at a parallel one conducted by Chief Jude Okeke based on a court order.
Mr. Soludo is staunchly supported by the current Governor, Willie Obiano. He emerged winner of the Victor Oye faction which is loyal to the Governor.
Recall also that the PDP factions in the state conducted two primary elections in different locations in Awka where Valentine Ozigbo and Ugochukwu Uba emerged as candidates respectively.
While Mr Ozigbo was the former President and Group CEO of Transcorp Group and currently serves as a Non-Executive Director of the organisation, Senator Ugochukwu Uba is a brother to Andy and Chris Uba.
Andy Uba is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Both the APGA and the PDP have been rocked by crisis, parallel primaries, litigations and counter injunctions.