PDP In Imo State Boil Over Caretaker Commitee

 .Party heavyweights Renew Hostilities

. Factions Emerge

BY GRACE IGWEANYI

The emergence of new caretaker committee for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Imo State has set the ball rolling for fresh political hostilities among political gladiators in the party.

The Committee is headed by Chief Martin Ejiogu.

 A party source said he was installed as party chairman by a former Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha with the support of PDP National Woman Leader,  Dr.(Mrs) Kema Chikwe.

Two former Governors of the State, Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim were also said to have contributed in the coming of the new committee.

There was no independent verification of these claims but it was gathered that the coming on board of the new caretaker committee have not gone down well with Senator Hope Uzodinma, senator representing Imo West Senatorial District (Orlu Zone)

Ihedioha and Uzodinma have been speculated to eying the party’s governorship ticket in 2019. The scramble for the leadership of the State party structure is therefore seen as a first step by the duos to throttle such ambitions efore 2019.    

Ihedioha emerged the PDP governorship candidate in 2015 but lost to Governor Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressive Congress, APC

While some political associates of Ihedioha and Uzodinma refused to admit that there is a brewing cold war over the new caretaker committee on the basis that such committees will not stay long in office, the party in Imo State has a precedent where Caretaker committees metamorphose to become State Executive Committees which stay up to four years or beyond.

This is believed to be the fear of the Uzodinma group which fears that the caretaker committee has come to stay.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman, Martin Ejiogu is from Isu Local Government Area in Imo West Senatorial district (Orlu Zone), the home zone of Senator Hope Uzodinma.

If the Ejiogu committee remains, it tactically takes off a governorship candidate emerging from the zone.

Mr. Ejiogu is yet to officially resume office as the caretaker chairman of the party at the State party secretariat, Okigwe road Owerri. Efforts by this online newspaper to speak to him have been futile as he has refused to pick his phone calls or respond text messages.

However, INNONEWS.COM was told at the weekend that another faction of the caretaker committee has emerged. The name of one Sam Osuji was bandied about as the factional Chairman.

The factionlization of the party has really intensified as the existing party executive led by Nnamdi Anyaehie have refused to vacate office despite the fact that their tenure has ended. Investigations reveal that the tenure of the Anyaehie executives has even been extended three times and has therefore outlived it use-fullness to the party.

 The PDP in Imo State is heading to a Congress in Febuary, 2015 to elect new officers at the wards and local government levels amidst grievances nurtured by party members across the State over its loss of the governorship election to bitter rivals, the APC last year.