Anambra election: One killed at UPP primary

The governorship primary of the United Progressives Party, Anambra State on Saturday claimed the life of a member of the party who died in a pandemonium that erupted during accreditation.
The deceased, Maduabuchi Uwakwewas, was the UPP chairman, Owerre-Ezukala ward 1, Orumba-South local government area of the state.
There are however conflicting reports as to what led to his death.
While a source who pleaded anonymity blamed the police for his death, the spokesman of the police in the state, Nkiruka Nwode, however blamed thugs who stormed the venue of the accreditation for his death.
The source said Mr. Uwakwe lost his life following a pandemonium that erupted when the men of the state police command sprayed tear-gas at the venue of the event in Geogold hotel, Awka, to disperse a group who allegedly wanted to disrupt the accreditation exercise.
The source, who is a UPP member from Owerre-Ezukala ward 1, stated that Mr. Uwakwe was asthmatic, and, that he probably died as a result of exhaustion after inhaling the tear-gas.
But Mrs. Nwode, an Assistant Superintendent Of Police, told our reporter on phone that thugs hired by one of the aspirants caused a stampede when they stormed the venue of the accreditation and the man slumped during the incident.
She said if not for the intervention of the police, more deaths would have been recorded.
“We even arrested one of the thugs, so the statement that police caused the death of the man is totally false and baseless,” she said.
Meanwhile, former aviation minister, Osita Chidoka, has emerged the UPP governorship candidate in the primary which later held at the Emmaus House, Awka.
The second contestant, Chudi Offodile, had pulled out of the primary earlier before the commencement of the accreditation of delegates, accusing the UPP hierarchy of manipulating the list of the delegates deliberately to shortchange him.
Sources disclosed that Mr. Offodile said he was heading to the courts to challenge the list of delegates used in the conduct of the governorship primary and even the out-come of the exercise.
Out of the total 1,473 delegates that participated in primary, Mr. Chidoka pulled a total of 1,222 votes to fly the UPP flag in the November 18, Anambra governorship contest, while Mr. Offodile had a total of 87 votes recorded in his favour. 19 votes were voided.
Addressing party members shortly after he was declared candidate, Mr. Chidoka commended them for the confidence reposed in him to fly the party’s flag in the election, and, pleaded with them to brace up to the challenges of mobilising the people of the state, especially the electorate to embrace the party’s manifesto and vote for the party.
Mr. Chidoka pledged that UPP administration in Anambra state under him as governor would engender a transformation that would endear the Biafra agenda to the people of Nigeria.