Hours after the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, commenced its primary election across the country, some of the aspirants in Enugu State, under the faction led by Ibuchukwu Obetta, are crying out over alleged manipulation.

Across the different venues where the exercise was scheduled in the state, aspirants said they have waited for hours without any official arriving at the venue.

Videos of party members waiting endlessly in most of the venues have been trending on social media.

Some of the aspirants have already announced themselves as winners.

One of the aggrieved aspirants, Obeta Davidwilliams, had a few hours ago announced that he had withdrawn from the process, citing alleged manipulation.

According to him, “The level of malpractice and manipulation currently unfolding within the NDC is without exaggeration, among the most disturbing political spectacles I have witnessed in recent times.”

In another location, Mr Mathias Ezeaku, who is seeking the ticket for Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency, claimed that he won the election, but that a key member of the official took away the result sheet.

A video trending online showed him alleging that: “I won the primary election of Federal House of Reps in Uzo-Uwani and I also won in Igbo-Etiti but when the party official is about to write the result, Prof Abukue ran away with the result.”

His claims were followed by chants of “we no go gree o”, “winner oooo, winner”, by his supporters.

Meanwhile, there are also allegations that a former governor of Enugu State, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo submitted a list of his preferred candidates to the party.

Those claimed to have been favoured in the list were a retired Permanent Secretary, Chinyeaka Oha as the preferred governorship candidate, while Princes Ada Ogbu is favoured as Senatorial candidate of Enugu East.

Others captured in the alleged list were Bishop Oscar Osai chosen for Enugu North Senate seat and Barr. O. A. U Onyema for the Enugu East.

A former Reps member, Pat Asadu was reportedly not favoured in the list.

The list in circulation also contains other names: Dr. John Nwokeabia for Oji River/Aniri/Awgwu Federal Constituency, Barr Agubuzu for Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency, Barr Fide Ani is for Igbo Etiti/ Uzo Uwani Federal Constituency, while the duo of Ikembuchukwu Nwodo and a retired Federal Director, Uche Aneke were reported to have been dropped to pave the way for Nwodo’s kinsman, Dr Clinton Ide for Igbo Etiti East State Constituency.

As of the time of filing this report, the Obetta faction of the party has not announced any winner from the exercise.

Dr Esther Nkem Okereke has emerged as the presidential candidate of the National Rescue Mission, NRM.

Okereke emerged through a consensus agreement brokered by the leaders of the party.

National Chairman of the party, Prince Dr Chinedu Obi said that a rescued Nigeria is possible and that a prosperous Nigeria is achievable.

Obi noted that Nigeria possesses vast mineral resources, fertile agricultural land,  strategic geographical positioning, energetic youth populations,  entrepreneurial citizens and immense human capital.  

He observed that despite these advantages, millions remain trapped in poverty.

According to him, the paradox of Nigeria is that a nation so rich has produced so many poor people, adding that Okereke has the ability to return the nation to its former glory.

“For years, global reports repeatedly  described Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world, a title no nation should wear with comfort and no leadership should accept with resignation.

“We shall transform education by restoring standards, improving access, strengthening technical and vocational training, investing in  research  and  innovation,  and  preparing  our  youth  for  a competitive global economy.  

“We  shall reform healthcare by prioritizing  primary healthcare systems,  strengthening  health insurance coverage, investing in medical personnel, and ensuring that quality healthcare becomes a right rather than a privilege,” he said.

In her acceptance speech, the Okereke said that when the story of Nigeria’s rebirth is finally written, history will remember that at a moment of national despair, ordinary citizens chose courage over fear, unity over division, hope over cynicism, and progress over stagnation.

She said, “Future generations will look back at this defining moment; they will say that when Nigeria stood at the edge of despair, a people arose with courage, unity, faith, and determination and rescued their nation.

“I deliberately chose the NRM a political party established to confront and rectify the systemic crises of governance in Nigeria.

“At the core of the NRM’s ideology is the deliberate and multi-dimensional concept of ‘rescue.’ Far from being a mere populist slogan, ‘rescue’ is conceptualized as an urgent, interventionist necessity, a political and socio-economic salvage operation required to pull Nigeria back from the brink of institutional collapse, economic stagnation, and widespread insecurity caused by decades of bad governance.

“The NRM positions itself as a generational vanguard. By mobilizing the youth, championing ethical leadership, and advocating for structural re-engineering, the movement seeks to transition Nigeria from a state of survival to one of sustainable development.

“The NRM ideology are on all fours with my vision and mission which ultimately, is the motivation for my candidature in the Presidential election as a veritable partner to achieve the project ‘Rescue Nigeria’.”

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, loyal to FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has denied plans to make former president Goodluck Jonathan its presidential candidate in the next year’s general elections.

The faction described the claims as false, misleading and unauthorised.

National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Jungudo Mohammed, made this known in a statement on Friday.

Mohammed urged security agencies to investigate the source of the reports and prosecute those behind what the party described as an attempt to create political tension and disrepute within the polity.

Recall that on Thursday, the Interim National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki announced plans for a convention in Abuja on Saturday to formally endorse the former President as the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

DAILY POST reports that Senator Sandy Onor was last week screened, cleared and officially presented as the Wike PDP faction’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Reacting, the PDP faction urged Jonathan to publicly distance himself from the move to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process and his reputation.

“The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party has been drawn to misleading information and unfounded reports circulating in certain quarters regarding an alleged planned convention aimed at affirming former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR as the presidential candidate of the PDP.

“The party wishes to categorically state that no such convention, meeting, or process has been scheduled, approved, or endorsed by the leadership or any recognised organ of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“We therefore urge all party faithful, supporters, stakeholders, and members of the general public to disregard such false information, as it is misleading, unauthorised, and intended to create confusion within the polity.

“It is important for the avoidance of doubt to state that the Peoples Democratic Party has successfully concluded all its primary elections, including those for governorship, State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly, and the presidential primaries in accordance with INEC guidelines, the provisions of the Electoral Act, and the Constitution of the party,” the statement said.