By Our Correspondent
Eyewitnesses and social media users (Netizens ) have continued to affirm the victory of Evangelist Chinedu Obue in the recent Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primary election in Awka South, even as criticism grows over the party’s handling of the exercise and its aftermath.
The claims have reinforced assertions that Obue secured a convincing victory in the primary, despite the controversy that has surrounded the outcome and subsequent political developments.
The affirmation gained momentum following widely circulated Facebook posts attributed to Okeke Mayor and JohnMary Ejiofor, both of whom maintained that Obue won the primary election “fair and square” and that the result sheets were available for public scrutiny.
The posts also questioned the basis of claims that Obue’s name was removed from any official list.
Supporters of Obue have cited the social media reports and accompanying video clips as further evidence that the primary election was conducted transparently and that the outcome reflected the will of the delegates who participated in the exercise.
They argue that the availability of result sheets and the absence of any immediate challenge to the declared outcome support the legitimacy of Obue’s victory.
Adding further weight to that position is an eyewitness account that has circulated widely on social media.
Arinze Okolobu, who stated that he was physically present at Umuzocha Hall, the venue of the Awka South NDC primaries, described Obue’s performance in the primary election as a landslide victory.
In a public post, Okolobu wrote: “Obue won by a landslide, likewise Sen. Victor Umeh. I was there live and direct at Umuzocha Hall, the venue of the primaries for Awka South NDC.”
The testimony has reinforced claims by Obue’s supporters that the outcome of the primary election was decisive and widely acknowledged by those who witnessed the exercise firsthand.
The controversy has also attracted reactions from political observers and stakeholders beyond the immediate parties involved.
One such reaction came from Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia, who expressed disappointment with what he described as the NDC’s poor management of its primary elections.
In a statement circulated online, Onyia argued that the party had undermined the goodwill it had built among Nigerians by failing to effectively manage the nomination process.
He questioned why party officials would permit field elections supervised by officially appointed returning officers, only for different names to allegedly emerge thereafter.
According to him, such actions could expose beneficiaries of the disputed outcomes to pre-election legal challenges capable of weakening the party’s electoral prospects.
He further expressed concern that similar controversies reportedly affected House of Assembly nominations, which he described as particularly significant given the challenges opposition candidates face in state legislative contests.
Onyia, who stated that he has been on a self-imposed leave from active politics for a decade but remains supportive of Peter Obi’s presidential ambition, said he was saddened that such disputes would arise within the NDC in Anambra State.
Onyia added,” Most Party leadership were seeing the primary election as means of making money and not interested in winning elections.
“Very terrible group of people. I have never seen a cheap minded individuals like that before.
“Look at how much they collected from all the aspirants, yet did terrible job.”
Political observers note that while social media accounts cannot substitute for official declarations, eyewitness testimonies and public reactions often contribute significantly to public understanding of events, particularly where competing narratives emerge after an election.
The controversy has exposed divisions within the Anambra State chapter of the NDC, with different groups offering contrasting interpretations of both the primary election process and its aftermath.
Analysts, however, believe that the growing number of accounts affirming Obue’s victory, coupled with criticism of the party’s handling of the process, is likely to increase pressure on party leaders to provide a clear and comprehensive explanation regarding the status of the primary election results and any subsequent decisions affecting candidates.
As of press time, no consolidated official statement had been issued by the party leadership addressing all the allegations and counter-allegations surrounding the primaries.
Nevertheless, supporters of Obue remain adamant that the evidence currently in the public domain points to a transparent process and a convincing electoral victory that should be respected by all stakeholders within the party.
