By Innocent Onyeukwu
The Oguta House of Assembly Election held last Saturday, has opened another chapter of political rivalry between the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
While the PDP at the weekend popped victory champagne celebrating the victory of its candidate, Hon Eugene Dibiagwu, the APGA leadership in the State continued to sulk over the outcome of the polls.
The PDP had overrun APGA in the polls, with its candidate, Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu emerging victorious with 15, 338 votes, while APGA and ACN candidates polled 3,401 and 2,500 votes respectively.
Hon Dibiagwu was declared winner by the Oguta INEC Returning Officer, Dr. Mariam Offor. It will be recalled that the PDP was already leading in the polls with 8,000 votes before it was cancelled and rescheduled.
In a swift reaction to the party’s victory, the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Blyden Amajirionwu, said the outcome of the Oguta Assembly elections, is a reflection of the PDP’s superiority over the ruling APGA in the State.
‘There is no APGA in this State, Imo is completely aPDPState’ the party’s publicity secretary declared.
In what appears a counter retaliation, the ImoStatechairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Prince Marshal Okafor described the election in Oguta as a sham show. He told the Imo Trumpeta in a telephone interview, that there was no election in Oguta.
‘What took place was a sham show perpetrated by the PDP and collaborated by INEC, there was no election in Oguta’ he stated.
This is the second time the PDP is overrunning the ruling party in the State after APGA’s governorship candidate, Owelle Rochas Okorocha defeated the PDP candidate and then governor ofImoState, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim at the Guber elections. The first political war between the two political parties was the scramble for Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Federal House of Reps seat which the PDP candidate, Hon Nnnana Igbokwe won defeating the APGA candidate, Hon. Chidi Ibe.
