There is a growing tension and uproar as protest in Aniocha South Delta South Constituency as attempts to remove the winner of the open Congress of the National Democracy Congress (NDC) has angered constituents and indigeges of the communities that make up the constituency.
Already, the indigeges and the even members of the party in the constituency are geared for a mother of al protest in Ogwashi-Uku, the headquarters of the local government area, as elders and youth has vowed to resist any attempts to remove the original candidate voted for at the Congress.
It will be recalled that Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe was elected by the people at an open Congress to represent them at the Delta State House of Assembly, but the NDC hierarchy in Abuja had replaced him with the candidate that came fourt in the Congress, Onochie Osheokwu
Results of the NDC Primary election, shows that Junior Okeleke came third with 221 votes, while, Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe pooled 286 to.eemerge Igwe Onnefa, polled 170.votes to come third, while Onochie Osheokwu got 140 to emerge fourth, with Myke Enebuwa scoring 120 votes in the keenly contested primary.
Even after getting the nomination form.INEC who conducted the election in the open, sinister moves by the NDC aided by some chieftains of the All Progressive Congress (APC), had repeatedly removed Adiqwe and replaced him with Onochie who came fourt in the primary, causing anger in once quiet communities.
In his reaction, the winner of the Congress, Adigwe, said he is heading to.the court to claim his mandate given to him by his people and that nothing will stop him.
He said “I am a party and I have no fight with my party. The people have spoken, and I stand firmly with my people. I remain committed to pursuing our mandate through lawful and constitutional means.
As a law-abiding citizen, I assure my people that we will seek to retrieve our mandate peacefully and through the appropriate legal channel”
Comrade Victor Obokoh, a resident who felt betrayed by the scenario, said, it will be wrong, for the people’s mandate to be waved aside because of who was in the political race or who campaigned the loudest. Adding, ” That choice was made in the open. That choice was made with hope.”
“I want to use this medium to thank everyone for belonging to a great political party such as the NDC. The NDC is built on the ideals of service, unity, and the voice of the people. That is what makes us great.
But it will be unfair, and it will be wrong, for the people’s mandate to be waved aside because of who was in the political race or who campaigned the loudest. The people’s mandate is sacred, and it must stand.*
“In Aniocha South, the people have spoken clearly. They have picked Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe to represent them at the Delta State House of Assembly. That choice was made in the open. That choice was made with hope.
“To abuse or overturn those votes is to tell every man, woman, and youth in Aniocha South that their voice does not matter. It is to tell them that party politics is bigger than the people. And that is not who we are as NDC.
“The NDC stands for the people. We do not silence the people. We protect their choice.
“So I call on all of us in the NDC family: let us defend democracy. Let us respect the mandate of Aniocha South. Let us stand with *Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe*, the man the people chose.
“When we honor the people’s mandate, we honor the NDC. When we honor the people, we build a stronger Delta and a stronger Nigeria.”
Another concern indigeges and a member of the NDC, Isioma Azubuike, said it was a scam as some who took third cannot come from the back door to become the candidate, adding that it was unacceptable.
He said, “This is a back door candidate not acceptable to the members of Aniocha-South NDC as it leads to subverting the wishes of the people and killing the nascent party.
There will be no candidate for Aniocha South if its not reversed as we are going to vote another candidate of another party come Feb – in Assembly election, he is going no where.
“Leadership is not about occupying an office. It is about understanding people’s struggles and taking deliberate action to improve their lives.
“Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe, representing the good people of Aniocha South Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly under the NDC, has a clear commitment: to serve with humility, compassion, integrity, transparency, and accountability.
“I believe leadership must put people first. Your concerns will matter. Your voices will be heard, and your trust will be treated as a sacred responsibility.”
He called on Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the party and the leadership of the party to restore their mandate to Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe to avoid losing members of this party, and to win the general election contest in 2027.
Others who spoke to our correspondents, including women and youths accused the APC lead government of sponsoring the illegality, vowing to resist the anomalies with the last strength in their body.
Victor Anyali, a a human right advocate, said, “It would be unjustifiable to undermine the popular mandate bestowed upon the people’s chosen candidate.
“Such an action would be patently unfair, unjust, and a direct affront to democratic principles. The notion that a discredited candidacy could supersede the authentic representation of the people’s will, as expressed through the National Democratic Congress Delta North State House of Assembly primaries, is untenable..”
“The electorate of Aniocha South exercised their franchise freely and fairly, with the Independent National Electoral Commission officials conducting the process in a transparent manner, yielding results that clearly reflect the people’s preference for Hon. Jeffrey Ugochukwu Adigwe.l”
As time of this report, the people are planing a massive protest to Asaba, the state headquarters and other agencies responsible for the election, threatening that election will.not hold both in the state assembly, federal or even the presidency if the injustice is not reversed.