Chime, Uduaghan Withdraw From Senatorial Race

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Nigeria 2015 Election Friday, December 5th, 2014

By Niyi Adeyi, African Examiner – The political ripples tearing apart the Enugu State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Friday appears subsiding, as the incumbent Governor Sullivan Chime has jettisoned his Senatorial ambition and compensated with privilege to nominate candidates for other key political offices.

Both Chime and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwewremadu have been at loggerheads over who takes the ticket of the Enugu West Senatorial district in the next political dispensation.

Governor Chime who had already been screened by the party, for Senatorial primary contest according to his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, Friday confirmed his boss had withdrawn from the primaries.

The governor’s aide confirmed that the agreement was brokered by the party’s stakeholders, who instead had approved Chime nominating candidates for key positions, such as the state party’s governorship flagbearer and others.

Recall that senator Ekweremadu’s camp hailed the recent congresses held in the state , which apparently favoured him (Ekweremadu), while Governor Chime and his followers rejected the exercise.

Delta

Elsewhere in Delta, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is said to have also withdrawn from the senatorial race.

Uduaghan had wanted to represent Delta South Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Sources close to the governor disclosed that Uduaghan agreed to withdraw from the race at a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan; the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu; and the senator representing Delta South Senatorial District, James Manager.

Uduaghan, it was learnt, agreed to withdraw from the race for there to be peace in the PDP in Delta State.

Manager had insisted on returning to the Senate owing to the fact that he could not become the state governor because of zoning.

The face-off over the senatorial seat had generated tension within the PDP in Delta State.

The meeting that resolved the face-off on Friday was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The primaries for the senatorial and House of Representatives race will take place on Saturday.