Indications emerged on Wednesday that the siege by ‘Unknown Gunmen’ operating in Northern and Southern senatorial zones of Anambra State has forced members of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to move the three-man adhoc delegate election to Awka, the state capital.
The decision was taken as a fall out of the worsening state of insecurity in the two senatorial districts and other parts of the state.
A total of 14 local government areas in the two senatorial zones of Anambra South and Anambra North could not hold their congresses in their areas, as a result of increasing attacks by gunmen.
Already, election materials have been distributed in 12 out of the 14 affected local government areas and election has commenced as at the time of this report.
However, Oyi and Onitsha South Local Government Areas could not participate in the election because of disagreement over the constitution of the election panel for the Local Government Area.
Speaking on the development, a chieftain of the party in the state, Hon Ngozi Agudosi said: “This delegates election is costing our party a lot of money, but we have to do it for the safety of our party members.
“It would have been held in the various local government areas, but you know the state of security in many communities in Anambra.
“In most communities in Anambra, you can not even hold family meetings let alone election. Even Ogbaru in Anambra North Senatorial zone is not safe. We wrote to the national leadership of the party to grant us the permission for Anambra North and South Senatorial zones to hold their election in Awka, and they granted it.”
“You can see the mobilisation. As I said, it cost us money, but we do not mind, we want our members to be safe.”
