BY UCHENNNA UFOMADU
The party has continued to be in tatters after some aggrieved members accused the leadership of the party of diverting millions of naira provided for the re- election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan in the municipality during the April 2015 Presidential polls.
The aggrieved members in their hundreds led by Hon Ebere Chukwuemeka last week re- echoed their accusation, accusing the party leadership in the area led by one Paul Ajunwa of converting party funds for personal use.
Ebere had alleged that the party approved N30, 000 per booth during the election only for the party leaders in the municipality to embezzle the funds and provide PDP agents with kitchen items such as salt, indomie noodles and morning fresh.
The House of Assembly candidate who was a former Local Government Chairman of the area was also accused of conniving with the party leaders to divert N14 million naira during the election period.The party leadership in the State waded into the matter and sued for peace and reconciliation as a basis to resolve all differences.
This peace move appears not to have fazed the aggrieved group who are insisting in the exit of the party chairman in the municipality for acts bordering on corruption.
Ebere had told INNONEWS.COM recently that the aggrieved party members stand for justice.
“We want justice. We will not condemn the reconciliation moves initiated by the State party leadership. But that does not change our position. We want the bad eggs to go. We are waiting for the congress. We challenge them to a Congress which will come very soon.
“Injustice has been prevalent in Owerri Municipal PDP for a long time. The party has been run like a cartel for several years and this is why the PDP has continuously lost to the opposition in Owerri, the State capital.
“If the party intends to achieve success in 2019, there must be total rebranding. Such deceitful persons should have no place in the party anymore
Denying the allegations, the party chairman, Deacon Paul Ajunwa said his accusers are merely causing disaffection in the party.
He said “They want to take over the leadership of the party in the area by force. Is it done that way” he said.
He refused to respond to allegations of corruption, saying he was instructed not to speak on the matter publicly.
Since 2007, the PDP in Owerri has severally been battered at the polls.
A party leader in the area, Chief Joe Ukachukwu told INNONEWS.COM that the party is like a fish with a rotten head.
He said “The party was doing well between 1999 and 2003 when the party was run by sincere, competent leaders. We won elections in a free and fair manner. Our candidates were accepted by the people.
“The story began to change in 2007 when some political charlatans invaded the area. Men of questionable character who had no visible source of livelihood came into the party. They saw politics as 419.
“They began to handpick party officers. A particular leader will sit in his house and appoint his brothers, sisters, cousins as party executive members.
“Delegates of the party were selected through handpicking. Most of the delegates are also those loyal to the cartel. They ignored the procedure for electing delegates as stipulated by the party.
“They appoint ward chairmen loyal to them. These ward chairmen are their surrogates. They retire the party’s campaign funds to them
Ukachukwu continued “When PDP was in power in the State especially during the reign of Ikedi Ohakim as governor, those who got appointments were loyalists of this cartel.
“When elections come, they simply diverted party funds to their pockets and this severally contributed to our failure in the municipality which is the seat of government in Imo State
“What happened in 2015 was not an exception. They diverted the monies to their bank accounts and this was why all our candidates from the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship and Presidential candidates failed in Owerri municipa.
“These so called leaders only wait for elections to amass wealth, it is very unfortunate. It is sad. Things have to change” he concluded.
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