The Peoples Democratic Party, Anambra State chapter, has suspended its candidate in the just-concluded governorship election, Mr. Jude Ezenwafor.
Ezenwafor was at the Light House, Awka, the seat of government of the state, congratulating the governor of the state, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, over his victory in the election, while the state executive committee of the party was meeting at the party’s Secretariat to ratify his suspension.
The chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Chidi Chidebe, who emerged from the meeting to brief journalists, said their candidate, Ezenwafor, immediately after picking the party’s ticket, quickly went incommunicado, refusing to hold meetings or rallies, but later announced that he had been attacked and shot in Abuja.
Chidebe, who read out a communique of the state executive committee on the outcome of the election, lamented that Ezenwafor “sold out,” refusing to campaign or call for help from the party.
The communique read: “The Anambra State Governorship Election has come and gone, and the general atmosphere during the election was largely peaceful, and both the conduct and outcome were, to a reasonable extent, transparent.
“However, the Anambra State Executive Committee had earlier expressed deep concerns over the disturbing conduct of our governorship candidate, Mr. Jude Ezenwafor.
“Throughout the campaign period, the candidate exhibited attitudes and tendencies that were not only uncooperative but outrightly destructive to the collective interest of the party.
“It is on record that the governorship candidate, Mr. Jude Ezenwafor, secured only one (1) vote in his own ward, Nnobi Ward 3, Idemili South Local Government Area, a ward with twelve (12) polling units.
“This abysmal performance represents the worst result for PDP in any ward across the state and clearly exposes his lack of character, credibility, and commitment to both the party and the election.”
After reviewing the activities of the candidate, the committee suspended him for one month and recommended him for further disciplinary actions to the state disciplinary committee.
The communique read: “Mr. Jude Ezenwafor is hereby suspended from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a period of one (1) month with immediate effect.
“That he be referred to the State Party Disciplinary Committee for further investigation and appropriate recommendations.
“That the National Working Committee (NWC) be formally notified and strongly advised not to grant Mr. Ezenwafor or his collaborators any further access or recognition at the National Secretariat, as their activities are clearly aimed at destabilizing the party.”
It called on the FCT police command to investigate claims by the candidate that he was shot, saying that all along, he never stayed in the hospital, just as there was no proof from any security report or hospital report that he was attacked.
The party lamented that the candidate could only score just one vote in the election in his ward, while every other vote for the party was rallied by members. They described the election as the worst in the party’s history.