A pressure group within the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra state has outlined some cogent reasons one of the leading governorship aspirants, Dr. Godwin Maduka, a US-based medical practitioner, cannot be entrusted with the governorship position of the state.
The pressure group known as Independent Leaders Forum at a news conference in Awka held that Dr. Godwin Maduka has exhibited what they referred to as a questionable character due to his inability to keep to agreements reached within the party.
President of the Independent Leaders Forum Mr. Obinna Okafor, who spearheaded the news conference, said the 16 governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party met and agreed at Chief Olisa Metu’s house in Nnewi that the aspirants would give N3000. 00 each to delegates when they visit their wards to campaign and N5000.00 each when they invite delegates.
The decision was taken and agreed upon by the aspirants on Sunday 6th June but barely 24-hours the agreement was reached at Chief Olisa Metu’s house in Nnewi, Dr. Godwin Maduka allegedly flouted the agreement and gave N50,000.00 each to women, youth leaders and ward chairmen when he invited them respectively from Monday 7th June thereby encouraging money politics which the 16 aspirants agreed to discourage.
Okafor therefore emphasized that the action of Dr. Godwin Maduka clearly indicated that he was not reliable and that the Peoples Democratic Party could not trust him with the governorship ticket because his breach of an agreement within 24-hours questioned his integrity and character to hold a public office as sensitive as the office of the governor of Anambra state.
He mentioned that the likes of Sen. Uche Ekwunife who is also contesting the governorship seat on the platform of the PDP had invited delegates of the party and had given them N5000.00 each as originally agreed upon by the 16 aspirants but Dr. Godwin Maduka for reasons of self-aggrandizement chose to be ostentatious and according to him, PDP cannot risk its ticket with such a character because it would amount to distrust, disunity and disaffection amongst the aspirants and the party.
Okafor said, “The current issue now is that the 16 aspirants met on Sunday the 6th of June at Chief Olisa Metu’s house in Nnewi and that meeting he invited them; he had the consent of other leaders of the party and the party executives.
“One of the resolutions at the meeting was to shun money politics and conduct issue-based campaigns. But surprisingly, on Monday 7th June, Dr. Godwin Maduka invited women leaders from the 326 wards and went above the sealing they agreed.
They agreed that when they go to the delegates to campaign in their various wards, they would give them a maximum of N3000.00 each and when they invite the delegates they would give them a maximum of N5000.00.“But Dr. Maduka invited these people and gave them N50,000.00 each. That is 24-hours after they reached that resolution. Like it was not enough, thereafter he invited youth leaders and ward chairmen and gave them N50,0000.00 each.
Part of our mission and vision as Independent Leaders Forum is to ensure that we discourage anything that will bring disunity in the party so that once a candidate emerges, every other person will be able to support that candidate to go for the November 6 governorship contest.
“We felt that his actions are going to bring disunity not just in the party but amongst the aspirants and we want to put a stop to it. We have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that we enforce that agreement reached by the 16 aspirants.
“The character traits he displayed questioned his integrity in keeping agreements and such character cannot be trusted with governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party let alone the governance of Anambra state.
If you cannot keep a gentleman agreement, then whatever you tell us you will do when you become the governor, we cannot trust that you will keep your promise because you have violated the simplest one within 24–hours.”
