PDP makes N184mn from sale of forms for Anambra governorship poll.

Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party raked in a total of N184 million from sale of forms for the Anambra governorship election.

The party sold Expression of Interest Forms for N1 million each and Nomination Forms for N10m each for males and N5 million each for females.

A total of 24 aspirants purchased the forms with all of them paying the mandatory N1m each for the Expression of Interest Form. Only 17 aspirants returned their forms including two females with each of the males paying the additional N10 million for the Nomination Form and the females N5 million each. The women are Josephine Anenih, former Women Affairs Minister; and Kramer Ifunanyachukwu, Coordinator of Foreign Affairs of the PDP

The screening of the aspirants commenced on Tuesday morning at the party’s secretariat in Abuja. The 5-member screening committee is headed by Aminu Wali, Nigeria’s ambassador to China.

Apart from the two women, the other 15 male aspirants to appear before the committee are are Obinna Uzoh, Mike Okoye, Akachukwu Nwankpo, Ugochukwu Okeke, Emmanuel Anosike, Andy Ubah, Jerry Ugokwe, Sylvester Okonkwo, Nicholas Ukakwe, Tony Nwoye, Patrick Ogbomo, Alex Obiogbolu, Charles Odunukwe, Ahamefula Damian, and Walter Okeke.

The Anambra governorship poll will hold in November while the PDP will conduct its primaries to select its candidate before then. Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, insisted on Tuesday that it would not recognize Ken Emeakayi the Chairman of the PDP in Anambra State.

The party had in statement last week said among the three people claiming to be the state chairmen of the party, it had decided to recognize Mr. Emeakayi, saying it took the action after consultations with the major stakeholders in the state.

However, speaking in Abuja at the Stakeholder Conference with media professionals and civil society organisations on voter register optimization, plans for continuous voter registration, INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega said the Commission would recognize Ejike Oguebego who won the state congress of March 2012.

“We monitored the state congress in March 2012 and we know who emerged winner and we have the record,” Mr Jega said.

“The claim that has been made is that court rule against the person who won the election at the congress. Our legal unit has no record of us being served with any court order.

“As far as we are concerned there is no confusion as to who is the chairman of the party in Anambra State.