Race for Nwankpo’s deputy heats up, Forbes’ awardee, Nwuneli, 9 others eye position

…Crises in APGA, PDP, APC open floodgate in ADC.   

No fewer than ten technocrats, clergies, labour leaders and industrialists are jostling for the position of the Deputy Governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the November 6, 2021 election.

The seeming mad rush for the running mate slot to Akachukwu Sullivan Nwankpo, who emerged ADC’s candidate in the most peaceful and credible Governorship Primary in Awka, the state capital, on June 29, this year.

Investigation by The Guardian revealed that a number of prospective running mates are being shortlisted for the position. Leading the pack of those who are being tipped to go for the party’s Number Two seat in the state include the 2011 Forbes’ 20 Youngest Powerful Women in Africa and Havard Business School African-American Alumni, Mrs Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli; a former State Chairman of the party and pastor with RCCG denomination;  a former ADC Governorship aspirant, Engineer Afam Ezenwafor; Pastor Frank Ughamadu of the Dominion City Church; two labour leaders, and an industrialist, among others. 

 An insider source said: “That ADC that conducted the most widely-acclaimed and attended party Primary is yet to agree on a consensus candidate for their Deputy Governor slot. “Not less than 10 candidates have been nominated by stakeholders within and outside the party.”   

The source said further that the Governorship candidate and former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo could not agree with the position of some of the stakeholders.   

However, we gathered that both Nwankpo and the National Chairman of the party, Ralph Okey Nwosu, favour either an Anglican or a Pentecostal Christian with high profile entrepreneurial background to augment the candidate’s government, public policy and technical competences.   

When contacted, at his Awka residence on the development, weekend, when the party launched the formal inauguration of ADC Youths Council (Anambra State Chapter), Nwosu disclosed that the party will likely settle for a Youth of either gender in keeping with the 35% Youths and 35% Women inclusion as enshrined in the constitution.

 Nwosu, it was learnt, is keeping his disposition close to his chest as investigation has showed that a committee is already working on the issue of the Deputy Governorship slot The National Chairman, according to our investigation, has dismissed any insinuation that he was not in the same page with the candidate, maintaining there was no disagreement between them or anyone for that matter.             

The Guardian, observed that one name that keeps popping up in the list is that of a leadership development mentor and member of Rockefeller Foundation Board of Trustees, Mrs Nwuneli. A founder of LEAP Africa, a body that creates a new generation of responsible, dynamic and visionary leader’s will transform Africa, Mrs Nwuneli served as a member of USAID’s Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid on COWAN and FADU.

She was also a World Economic Forum, United Nations Commission for Social Development and TED Global Speaker as well as a seasoned transformational driver on Africa’s food and agricultural ecosystem.           

When the name of Mrs Nwuneli was mentioned to the National Chairman of ADC, Nwosu hesitated but told our correspondent that “Ndidi Nwunneli will do great in Public service, but that she has already relocated to the US.” The Guardian checks revealed that “there has been a keen interest in ADC by Anambra stakeholders and political elites because the party is seen as one of the few parties that had a rancoyr-free Governorship Primary, unlike what obtained in that of PDP, APC APGA which were and are still enmeshed in supremacy fights with unresolved court issues.                                           

Meanwhile, ADC has vowed to take over the reigns of political leadership of the country at the centre, beginning with the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.

The party through its National Chairman, Nwosu said its birthed #A New Nigeria is Possible project# will begin in Anambra State, where it was determined and well prepared to win in the governorship election.

He said that the party has marshaled  political strategies to earn its the victory, and called on party faithful and good people of the state to rally round the party during the forthcoming state polls to experience good governance that will salvage the state. Nwosu said the party will take critical steps to form grand political coalition and partners with labour leaders, coalition of civil Societies, concerned professionals, youth as  well as women groups to take ownership of the party to rescue Anambra in 2021.

He expressed optimism that a transformational ADC Governor in the mould of Nze Nwankpo will emerge to take charge and create prosperity for the people of Anambra State.”