Ahead of the rescheduled Peoples Democratic Party primaries for December 2014, former aviation minister and frontline PDP senatorial aspirant, Princess Stella Oduah, is likely to emerge the party’s flagbearer to contest the 2015 Anambra North Senatorial race if the outcome of an opinion poll is anything to go by.
In the poll administered by the DEMOwatch.com in Onitsha at the weekend, they asked respondents to vote on who they considered the best senatorial candidate out of all the aspirants vying for PDP ticket for the 2015 senatorial election.
The result as at Saturday night showed Oduah leading with 80 per cent of the votes by the respondents. The former aviation minister was followed by a wide margin by Prince John Emeka, who got 10 per cent votes and surprisingly the incumbent, Sen. Margerie Okadigbo came last with 3% votes.
The opinion poll was administered across Anambra North, made up of seven local government councils including Oyi and Anyamelum, Ogbaru, Onitsha South and West, Anambra West and East.
Another aspirant, Chief Ikemefuna (SAMZEK) who is still undecided over his 2015 ambition beat the incumbent senator with a 5 per cent score while 2 per cent were undecided.
The incumbent Senator’s poor showing was attributed to her dismal and unsatisfactory representation coupled with her inability to attract Federal presence to the zone.
The poll has confirmed predictions that the zone wants strong, dedicated and purposeful representation in the Nigerian Senate.The leaders of the people have found a worthy voice in Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, who for a long time,they and their people have been mounting pressure on to stand election to go and represent them in the Senate. Oduah’s catalogue of achievements as Federal minister of Aviation stand her out as an achiever.
Meanwhile the incumbent Senator is widely accused of abandoning the PDP in Anambra North area on whose platform she became senator. The party had no befitting office or functional vehicle until Princess Oduah provided both and kick started activities in the zone. Her fellow senators who earlier sold the idea of “automatic ticket’ to her have since abandoned her, having been confronted with her dismal performance and imminent failure.
Meanwhile, about 99 per cent of the voters in the poll said they will vote Goodluck Jonathan for President. The poll organisers also did not give any reason as to why they excluded the names of other aspirants for the PDP ticket on the poll template.
