BY EZE EGEJURU
. Why Senator Hope Uzodinma Pushed For Anambra PDP Member As Party Chair.
. February 20 Congress May Be Postponed.
. Party Members Await LGA Caretaker Committees.
Details surfaced last week how PDP big shots in Imo State scrambled and secured for their loyalists and cronies’ membership of the newly constituted Caretaker Committee to manage the affairs of the party after the State executives led by Nnamdi Anayehie was forced to leave.
The Anayehie executive had overstayed their tenures and enjoyed two extensions.
This newspaper was informed that the National Working Committee of the PDP in Abuja had called on party stakeholders in Imo State to make recommendations for membership of the Caretaker
committee.
Two former Governors, Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim swiftly recommended some members. Each of the three serving senators in the State namely Senator Hope Uzodinma(Imo West Senatorial District),Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East Senatorial District) and Senator Athan Achonu ( Imo North Senatorial District) also nominated their loyalists as members.
Other key stakeholders such as Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Former Minister of Aviation and Ambassador To Ireland//Iceland, Dr (Mrs) Kema Chikwe and Former Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha were also given slots to recommend members of the caretaker committee that will supervise the conduct of Congresses in the party to elect fresh executive members.
Some members of the House of Representatives of PDP extraction in Imo State were also given slots to recommend members of the committee.
The Chairmanship slot was initially grabbed by Mr.Martin Ejiogu, rumoured to be a nominee of Ihedioha
a move which did not enjoy the backing of Senator Hope Uzodinma who strongly pushed for a change of the party chair.
Ihedioha and Uzodinma are widely speculated to have intention of seeking the party’s governorship ticket in Imo State in 2019.
The protestations of the Uzodinma camp was said to have received the attention of the NWC which quickly demoted Ejiogu to the position of Deputy Chairman and replaced him with Vitalis Okafor, a member of the PDP from Anambra State.
Party sources said the decision of the NWC to appoint an Anambra State PDP member as interim party chair of Imo PDP was in order, as it will create a level playing ground for all contending forces in the party in the State.
A source told this newspaper that “The demotion of Chief Ejiogu from party chair to Deputy Chairman was a wise move. Coming from one of the camps of those said to be interested in the governorship ticket of the party, Ejiogu’s chairmanship would have given undue advantage to one of the critical stakeholders in the party”
He continued “Despite the fact that the interim committee was saddled with the task of conducting congresses and leave, none of the stakeholders, especially the Uzodinma camp wanted to take chances. In the past, Caretaker Committees emerge and later on metamorphose to become elected party electives with tenure of four years.
“And if that scenario repeats itself, the Uzodinma group will be at the mercy of the Ihedioha camp when the tussle for the party’s governorship ticket will be up for grabs. Since both of them are interested in 2019, a neutral person should head the party, organize congresses and leave.
“The contending forces should now focus on ensuring that their nominees win the congress. This is what the new PDP is all about. We want to move the party to a new order where party executives are not handpicked and become the cronies of one big politician” the source stated
However, the emergence of the caretaker committee at the state level has increased apprehension among party members at the Local Government and ward levels that are waiting for the dissolution of the executives.
Many party members contend that since the Anayehie executive has gone, party executives in the LGAs should be dissolved as well and interim committee members appointed to oversee the affairs of the party before Congress holds.
There has been series of complaints on how the executives mismanaged the chances of the party at the 2015 polls. There were widespread allegations of fraud and deceit leveled against them.
However, the Ward Congress of the party scheduled to hold on February 20, 2016 may be postponed in the State since re –run polls as announced by INEC is taking place in Imo North Senatorial district and some local Government where there will be re- run polls for seats in the Imo State House of Assembly.
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