By Uche Amunike
Gubernatorial candidate of Accord party for the November 6 governorship poll in Anambra state, Dr Godwin Maduka may be disqualified from the contest as his deputy, Chief Kenneth Ifeatu dumped him Wednesday night, leaving the United States based medical doctor with no option of replacing him as the period for nomination of running mates has long elapsed.
Maduka, who owns the Las Vegas pain institute in the United States initially contested under the aegis of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before moving to Accord Party, after he lost out.
He has faced a number of disappointments in the race which started from his attempt to take the governorship ticket of PDP, where it was reported one of his aides allegedly made away with his bag containing millions of dollars meant to be shared to delegates in exchange for votes.
He eventually joined the Accord party, taking some influential members of the PDP with him, starting with Prince Ken Emeakayi who was said to have been wooed to the party with 21 sienna vehicles and an undisclosed amount of money.
Emeakayi’s entrance into the Godwin Maduka camp was said to have caused a lot of rancour as old members of the party became envious of him and the huge sum spent on him, especially as he introduced his fellow PDP foot soldiers and handed them the buses.
It therefore came as a shock when the entire stakeholders of Idemili North and South Local Government Areas witnessed Godwin Maduka’s Deputy, being received by the APC as he decamped to their party at their campaign office at Udoka Estate, Awka with Andy Uba, APC flag flyer, as a witness.
Chief Kenneth Ifeatu, during his decamping process, promised to be loyal and supportive to Andy Uba as he picked up the broom and promised to work assiduously in ensuring that Sen. Uba wins the November 6th governorship election in Idemili and environs.
He stated that he had never witnessed such warm acceptance of a candidate in the Anambra political system like Senator Andy Uba, while describing it as a homecoming agenda for any progressive-minded son of Anambra state.
Meanwhile, speculations are rife that Dr Gordon Maduka might be disqualified, having enjoyed a joint ticket with his presently decamped deputy, as stipulated by law.
As at the time of filing this report, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was yet to be reached in order to confirm the fate of Godwin Maduka as he presently has no running mate.
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Godwin Maduka is the founder and CEO of the Las Vegas Pain Institute and Medical Center which is said to be the largest pain treatment centre in Nevada, USA. He is a philanthropist and has built legacy projects in his hometown, Umuchukwu in Anambra state.
They include, houses for the poor, churches, markets, schools, Police Academy and College, Post Office, Magistrate Court for the Anambra State Government, a 17-floor multiplex medical research centre, over 100 houses for widows, teachers’ quarters, judges quarters and presently, the largest Medical Research hub in his town Umuchukwu.
Chief Kenneth Ifeatu decamped exactly 16 days to the election
