Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Athan Achonu of the Labour Party (LP) have voted in their respective polling units.
Anyanwu voted at Amaimo Central School polling unit, Amaimo ward, Ikeduru LGA, Imo state.
He arrived around 10:05 am.
Also, Achonu and his wife voted at PU008, Numo Primary School, Umunomu, Ehime-Mbano LGA.
Achonu expressed satisfaction with the process.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the Imo election Senator Samuel Anyanwu has described the claim that he has withdrawn from the race as mischievous.
He said that the report trending on social media purportedly claiming that he has withdrawn is not only fake but blatant lie from the pit of hell.
The statement signed on Friday by the Director, Media and Publicity Imo PDP (Sam-Jones) Governorship Campaign Organization, Ikenna Onuoha reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a trending video on social media purportedly claiming that the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Saturday, November 11 off-season election in Imo state, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu popularly known as “Samdaddy” has withdrawn.
“This video is not only fake, blatant lie from the pit of hell, very mischievous, ridiculous and misleading, but a senseless vile sheepishly formulated by the outgoing Governor Uzodimma to deceive the public.
“A critical look at the said video indicates that it was criminally edited and super imposed by these mischief makers. Please, ignore such falsehood as Senator Anyanwu never withdrawn and does not have such intention in this attention he has almost won.
“The truth of the matter is that Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu and the candidate of the PDP is a big threat to Uzodimma, who has become dried in both the physical and spiritual since Imo people started booing him.
“It is important to tell Uzodinma and his supporters that no amount of blackmail and empty propaganda will ever save him from the looming defeat on Saturday.
“Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu remains a candidate to beat in this Saturday Governorship election. He is prominently in the race and will never ever think of withdrawing from a contest over 70% percent of observers have ticked him as the likely winner of the poll.”
An Enugu State High Court in Enugu has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary.
Anyanwu is also the PDP governorship candidate for the forthcoming election in Imo State.
The order was granted following a motion on notice filed by Nwabueze Ugwu.
Ugwu urged the court to declare Anyanwu’s seat vacant due to his current position as the candidate in next month’s governorship election in Imo State.
the court compelled the defendants in the suit – the PDP National Chairman, the PDP National Secretary and the National Vice Chairman, Southeast – to recognise Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the candidate recommended by the Southeast Zonal Executive Committee to replace Anyanwu pending the determination of the motion on notice.
Justice C.O Ajah ordered: “That an Interim Order is hereby granted as prayed.
“That the second defendant/respondent is hereby ordered to recognise within 24 hours of the service of this order on him, Hon. S.K.E. Udeh-Okoye (the person recommended by the South East Zonal Executive Committee of the 1st defendant /respondent; pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“That this Order will lapse after seven days from today in accordance with the rules of this court.
“That the matter is adjourned to 30/10/2023 for the hearing of the Motion on Notice.”
The Peoples Democratic Party Governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, popularly known as Samdaddy yesterday accused the Imo State Government of plotting to cause a crisis among governorship contestants from Owerri zone.
Senator Anyanwu, who is also the National Secretary of PDP, said he has uncovered a plot by mischief makers to cause political disharmony against Owerri zone candidates, who are contesting the same position with him.
He made this known in a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity, Imo PDP (Sam-Jones) Governorship Campaign Organization, Mr. Ikenna Onuoha.
According to him, credible information obtained revealed that members of the All Progress Congress (APC) in the state allegedly led by a commissioner are behind the plot.
“Their motive is to fraudulently concoct provocative articles against our candidate and criminally tag same to one of the governorship hopefuls from Owerri zone, Gen. Lincoln/Jack Ogunewe (rtd) to create disaffection amongst Owerri zone brothers.”
“To perfect this hatchet job, these disgruntled elements conjured a provocative article titled, “Monumental disgrace awaits you Nov 11, Ogunewe blasts SamDaddy” claiming that our candidate purportedly sponsored a reported blackmail against him, (Ogunewe) a few days ago.
“To be candid, our candidate as a mature gentleman with good temperament will not stoop so low to blackmail anyone thereby leaving behind, the ongoing issue-based campaign aimed at defeating the embattled Governor Hope Uzodimma and his outgoing administration.”
Despite this, he said he would not be deterred by these cheap blackmails and mischievous reports, adding that what he is interested in is to secure the state from the stranglehold of the APC administration and thereafter, make Imo Safe Again.
In the interest of peace and unity of Owerri zone, the Peoples Democratic Party Governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Samuel Anyanwu has promised to abide by the resolutions taken by Owerri people at the 5th edition of Egbu Declaration.
Owerri zone people at the weekend adopted all decisions taken at the 5th Egbu declaration to ensure that the principle of charter of equity agreed in 1998 be followed, obeyed and implemented in the interest of equity.
They also advised candidates of Owerri zone extraction to support one candidate.
Anyanwu in a statement on Sunday, said that he would not go contrary to decision of his people to support anyone mostly favoured as a consensus candidate for the zone in order not to divide votes from the zone.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Samuel Anyanwu has urged Anglican Bishops across the state not to vote for any candidate that has failed the constitutional responsibility of curbing insecurity.
He appealed to them to vote for PDP whose previous administrations were adjudged to be most peaceful and prosperous.
Anyanwu said that Imo people have witnessed untold hardship since the incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma took over the governorship seat, and warned that suffering, and starvation may continue if APC is allowed to continue in the state.
He advised those in the habit of killing pastors, and bishops to desist and repent to be useful in society.
Anyanwu said that for the tears of those killed to receive justice, the land of Imo state needs to be spiritually and physically appeased or cleansed to pave the way for the growth and development of the church as well as the society at large.
The PDP candidate stated this while speaking as a guest at the 2023 3rd session of the 22nd Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Owerri held at the Christ Church, Owerri with the theme: “Effective Use of Your Spiritual Gifts for Service and Church Growth”.
He promised to approve yearly subvention for the revival of mission schools and the religious groups in the state.
Anyanwu called on them to mobilise their members across the state for PDP, assuring them of his desire to stop insecurity, boost agriculture, construct quality rural and urban roads and bring peace back to the state.
•Governor taunts ex-lawmaker for ‘wasting eight years in Senate’
Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday berated two-time Senator Chris Anyanwu for her recent “uncomplimentary remarks” about his administration.
The governor noted that Anyanwu lacked the moral justification to criticise his administration after she “wasted eight years in the Senate with nothing to show for it”.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor noted that Anyanwu lacked the “moral justification to run down Governor Okorocha, whose achievements in less than eight years have surpassed the achievements of all those who had governed the state before him put together”.
The statement said: “Senator Anyanwu had taken up on Governor Okorocha in the media, talking about how Imo people are set to take back their state from the governor. And one may be forced to ask Senator Anyanwu: which state and which Imo people?
“She was in the Senate for eight years for Owerri Zone; let her mention one achievement her eight years in the Senate brought to Owerri zone or to the state, either as entities or as individuals.”
It added: “The only thing she did for the eight years was to build a radio station for herself, which is called Hot FM in Owerri, with the workers not being paid salaries for years. Also, the only major appointment she got was in the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and she gave it to her husband, Dr. Casmir Anyanwu.
“The truth is that there is a class war going on in the state at the moment. And the crux of the matter is 2019. The elite and godfathers who felt displaced by Governor Okorocha since 2011 are fighting to stage a come-back, targeting 2019. These elements should stop deceiving the public with their pretences…”
Senator Chris Anyanwu yesterday said she did not collect or distribute N700 million to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members to prosecute the 2015 presidential election in Imo State.
Senator Anyanwu noted that the clarification became necessary following reports linking her with the collection and distribution of N700 million allegedly given to Imo State PDP to prosecute the 2015 presidential election.
A statement by her Media Assistant, Everest Ezihe, Anyanwu noted she was neither a party official nor the Presidential Campaign Coordinator for Imo State and, therefore, was in no position to collect or distribute funds for and on behalf of the party.
She also said she did not witness the collection of funds belonging to the PDP for the purpose of prosecuting the 2015 presidential election in Imo State.
The statement said that Anayanwu visited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Enugu and made her points and was allowed to go.
The statement entitled, “ Press statement from Senator Chris Anyanwu on alleged collection of N700 million cash for 2015 election” reads in part.
”This statement clarifies the position of Senator Chris Anyanwu following a series of enquiries by journalists, friends and well wishers nationally and internationally, regarding newspaper stories linking her name with collection or distribution of N700million allegedly given to Imo State PDP to prosecute the 2015 presidential election in the state.
“For the record, Senator Anyanwu was neither a party official nor the Presidential Campaign Coordinator for Imo State and, therefore, was in no position to collect or distribute funds for and on behalf of the party or indeed the candidate.
“Consequently, let it be stated without ambiguity that Senator Chris Anyanwu did not witness the collection of any money belonging to the PDP for the purpose of prosecuting the 2015 presidential elections in Imo State and therefore could not have been involved in its distribution in any form directly or indirectly.
“Senator Anyanwu visited the EFCC offices in Enugu and made this position clear to the officials and was allowed to go home.
”Senator Chris Anyanwu did not collect any money for the 2015 elections from any bank and she did not witness the collection of any money by anybody from such a bank.
“It is not beyond the investigative skills of the EFCC to track the alleged disbursements in order to arrive at the truth about who collected what, where, when and how.
“She will also be happy to assist the EFCC with whatever information at her disposal to help the process of getting to the truth about campaign funding for Imo State.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Cross River State, Mr. Ntufam John Okon, in connection with the alleged N23.29b poll bribery scandal.
The agency has also quizzed Senator Chris Anyanwu and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ahamba, on the matter.
The three were allegedly paid N1.2billion.
Anyanwu and Ahamba were allegedly paid N700m. Okon is in EFCC’s custody for taking N500million.
Okon, who was being detained yesterday, may be charged to court.
Also, the EFCC has discovered that some of the suspects implicated in the scandal have gone overseas.
Among the suspects are some oil industry chiefs who were believed to have been used by former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The oil barons contributed $88.35million of the $115million(N23.29b) sent to Fidelity Bank by the ex-minister.
The money was for some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to alter the results of last year’s presidential election.
According to a top source in EFCC, Anyanwu and Ahamba were interrogated at the EFCC’s zonal office in Enugu on Wednesday.
But the source said they were released on administrative bail and asked to return for interaction on a scheduled date.
The source said: “Following the ongoing screening of the distribution list of the N23.29b cash, we discovered that N700million was paid to Anyanwu and Ahamba at Fidelity Bank in Ikenegbu Layout branch in Owerri.
“The payment was effected by the detained Head of Operations of Fidelity Bank, Martin Izuogbe, based on the directive of the MD of the bank.
“We have invited and interrogated Anyanwu and Ahamba at our Enugu Zonal Office on how they came about the cash, for what purpose and how the remittance trickled down – if it did.
“They have been granted administrative bail, but they were asked to come back on a scheduled date.”
“Okon was arrested in Calabar, the Cross River State capital for collecting N500million of the money.
“Investigations by the EFCC showed that Okon collected the money on 26th March, 2015 at a branch of Fidelity Bank in Calabar.
“The money was placed in the transit account at the Corporate Headquarters of Fidelity Bank but cash was made available to Okon in the Calabar branch of the bank,“ a source close to the investigation said, pleading not to be named because of what he described as the “sensitivity” of the matter.
“Okon is in the custody of the EFCC and would be charged to court soon,” he added.
Of the oil barons involved in the scandal, the source said: “Some of these oil barons who contributed to the $115million poll bribery cash have shifted base abroad but we have located their whereabouts.
“They have forgotten that the law can catch up with them anywhere. And their arrest is easier abroad than at home, which they are afraid of.
“And since a huge chunk of the $115million was sourced from stolen crude, so many people were parties to the deal and with diligent investigation, we can track all these shady activities.”
Abia Warriors have reportedly blocked Nnaemeka Anyanwu’s dream move to Sunshine Stars of Akure in a mafia like style, FCNaija.com reports.
The Centre defender who went AWOL ( absent without leave) from Umuahia in a bid to force a move to join the Akure Gunners was left disappointed as he was not cleared by the League management Company (LMC) to make the ‘illegal’ switch.
Anyanwu who has previously stared for top Nigeria clubs, Enyimba International and Enugu Rangers is said to have been promised better pay at Akure and has already been training with Sunshine with the hope of playing in the second stanza of the league for them.
“The situation is quite messy” a source close to Anyanwu confided in FCNaija.com
The report revealed that Abia Warriors were supposed to pay the agent of Anyanwu as much of N.5m for bringing his client to play for them; unfortunately the team are yet to pay the said sum; a development that contributed to the forced attempt to secure a deal with Sunshine.
Though silent on whether they reneged on a N500, 000 promise to Anyanwu’s agent, Abia Warriors have empathically stated that they are not ready to discuss with Sunshine stars while Ayanwu has gone back to join the Coach Ladan Bosso tutored side with the hope of completing his switch to Akure by the end of the seaosn.