BY GRACE IGWEANYI.
The party is facing stiff opposition from rival All Progressive congress, APC that has exhibited strong political will to take the senatorial slot.
The PDP candidate, Senator Athan Achonu was sacked by the Appeal Court based on a petition by Benjamin Uwajumuogu, a former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly and APC senatorial candidate in the polls.
The Court fixed February 20 ,2016 as date for the re-run.
With few days to the re-run run polls, the PDP, the main opposition party in Imo State is firing on all cylinders to retain the senatorial seat.
Since last week, top party leaders in the State have been meeting marshalling out plans for the re- election of Senator Achonu.
Several nocturnal meetings have been held in Abuja, Owerri and Okigwe where they all pledged to work for the success of the party. The two senators for Imo East and North are said to have formed a strategic alliance to save one of their own from defeat.
A former Governorship candidate of the party is also very thick in the plot to save the party from defeat in the election.
Key leaders in the senatorial district such as former Governor Ikedi Ohakim have also closed ranks with erstwhile political foes to ensure victory for the party. It was also learnt that old feuds that has been tearing aggrieved members apart in the zone are also amicably resolved.
A party source revealed to this newspaper that at ward levels, key and loyal party men have been approached to take charge of strategic polling booths especially booths known to be troublesome and produce large turn out of voters.
Also, the party leadership in the State is said to have intensified it's reconciliation efforts existing among warring factions all geared towards uniting the party before the make or mar polls.
The State Working Committee of the party had recently recalled all suspended and expelled members, a move, political pundits said is strategic to reduce the growing ranks of party defectors.
A source said the senatorial re-run polls in the zone was one of the key reasons why the party took such action at this point in time.
"We are aware that the APC is desperate to win the election. If Uwajumuogu succeeds in wining the election, he will be the first South East APC Senator from the South East. So we know how desperate the APC can get.
"This is why the PDP does not want to loose. We want to maintain our grip in Imo State. We are bent on taking over from Rochas in 2019, this is why we cannot afford to loose Okigwe zone.
"We have closed our ranks and we have been strategizing. All hands are now on deck
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