It has been a tempestuous period for the Imo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, since the party lost the chance to preside over affairs of the state through the Supreme Court decision to sack the governorship candidate, Emeka Ihedioha for APC’s Hope Uzodinma as state governor.
Similar to what transpired in the party nine years ago when Ikedi Ohakim lost the chance for a second tenure experience, the umbrella symbol party is on the bumpy path again after testing power for a while.
Despite the “No Shaking” posture of the leadership since the defection virus hit the PDP in Imo, watchers of political developments in the state can arrive at a conclusion that this is not the best of the times for the party that was once the toast of every career party man and woman in the state.
Since January 14, 2020 the Supreme Court threw the party out of power, Imo PDP has no doubt lost a substantial number of members to the opposing and dominant party, the APC.
More disturbing about the exit of the party members was the resignation of a tangible percent of the state party executives led by the chairman, Charles Babatunde Ezekwem.
It didn’t take Ezekwem weeks to announce his desire to part ways with the PDP when a few weeks after Uzodinma came on board, he threw in the towel and dumped the party. Though, Ezekwem who has been the chairman of the state owned football team, Heartland FC of Owerri courtesy of the Ihedioha administration, gave reasons for his action even as the party in a follow up to his exit gave an account of what may have forced him out from their fold.
Gradually, it became the turn of other state party officials to toe Ezekwem’s line.
Damian Opara who had authored press releases against the former party chairman for vacating his office and resignation from the party joined the defection spree when he tendered a letter calling it quits from the office of the State Publicity Secretary. Opara had been the mouth piece of the PDP in Imo State.
Before the dust raised by the defection of the party’s spokesman could rest, Aburi Ahanonu, the Youth Leader joined to find solace in APC. Others who dumped their positions were the Zonal Publicity Secretary, Chijioke Ekwegh and State Assistant Secretary, Chuks Okedu.
Apart from the above mentioned officials several Ward and LGA officials have also left the party for fresh frolicking with the APC.
Of note and very prominent in this discussion was the earlier dumping of the party by lawmakers of the Imo State House of Assembly who were either elected on PDP platform or joined latter after inauguration of the House by the Ihedioha administration.
Led by the Speaker, Collins Chiji, the PDP that had already formed majority at the commencement of legislative business before it lost the controlling powers in a jiffy. Very alarming in the whole development was that many of the House Members, including those from the Mbaise axis, where the PDP governorship candidate, Ihedioha hails from, except the member for Ezinihitte Mbaise State Constituency, deserted the party for APC. Not left out in the “Operation Dump PDP” were former appointees of Ihedioha and those who warmed the corridors of Government House, Owerri and other government offices when the PDP candidate was in charge.
Ironically, within four months, PDP has been rejected by the very members who sang praises of the party and Governorship candidate in the past.
In Nigeria party politics, defection is not an anathema. It has become a regular pastime hobby of suspected displaced politicians who are hungry to always be in the corridors of power.
Coming down to Imo state, changing party platforms can’t be divorced from the character traits of an average politician. Many are viewed to have become exponents of “anywhere belle face politics,” and therefore lack the conscience to remain in a particular party because of” stomach infrastructure.
However, an undiluted review of the recent PDP defections can unravel several factors as being responsible for the Tsunami in the party.
Majority of those who left the party are no longer willing to play opposition role again. For those who have no means of livelihood except through appointments and proceeds from the party or elected officials of the party, remaining in PDP for the next four years would spell doom for their future and survival.
This group consists of those who had been with the party during the Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim administrations. With APGA coming into power through Okorocha in 2011, PDP members became the opposition party.
Their pitiable situation continued from 2015-2019 Okorocha observed a second term. May 29, 2019 provided an array of hope that things would be better for the next four years after Ihedioha took Oath of office as governor.
But las las, the Supreme Court proved them otherwise that it was not yet Uhuru to enjoy the booties of election victory.
Those who couldn’t stomach the loss had no option than to quit the PDP for APC.
One fact that cannot be removed from the mass defection from PDP is the Uzodinma/Anyaechie connection. Recall that Imo State Governor was a former PDP member. It was about six months to the APC governorship primaries that he dumped the party for new found love. Uzodinma’s record of two terms in the senate was under PDP ticket. He was a major stakeholder and state leader who dictated the pace of the party before the leadership crisis at the national level between the Markafi and Sherrif factions broke out. Uzodinma was of the Sherrif faction and when the Supreme Court gave Markafi the nod to lead the party, Uzodinma and co, including his present Chief of Staff, Nnamdi Anyaehie who was then factional PDP chairman left PDP for APC alongside other stalwarts like Former Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly and member who represented Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta Federal Constituency 2015-2019, Goodluck Nanah Opiah.
Though, allies of Uzodinma and Anyaehie remained in PDP alongside the Markafi followers, but the change of fortune for Uzodinma has seen majority of his allies in PDP move in droves now to APC to rejoin their leader.
Looking inwards, what may have also sparked off defections cannot be divorced from what transpired within the months Ihedioha was in power. It was gathered that some members of PDP grumbled over the pattern Ihedioha adopted in sharing offices without considering some folks who worked for the interest of the party and process leading to his emergence as governor.
During the Ihedioha era, there was a period of disquiet where party members alleged that either “ancestors were handed political positions or offices were allocated to children and family members of some selected political godfathers. The grouse of these stalwarts was that during the campaigns and elections, the children and family members of the so-called political godfathers were not sighted at the frontline, but became the first to reap from the benefits of electoral victory. There was also complaints related to importation of experts who do not know their booths in the wards but were handsomely handed political offices at the expense of the regular party men that would have been ordinarily compensated with appointments. Those who had expected that they would be in the Ihedioha first eleven for appointment consideration had no option than to quit the PDP moments Uzodinma took over. For them, since they were not recognized by Ihedioha, there is no gain sinking again with PDP, but to move and try their luck in Uzodinma’s APC.
Finally, no one can rule out the Sam Daddy Anyanwu factor. Remember, Anyanwu, the immediate past Senator who represented Owerri zone in the upper chamber of the National Assembly gave Ihedioha a run for his money during the PDP governorship primaries in Imo.
It was gathered that despite Ihedioha’s controlling force in PDP rank and file, Anyanwu had sympathizers across the party officials and delegates.
Anyanwu no doubt had sympathizers who lamented afterwards that despite joining the PDP family after the party primaries to campaign and vote for Ihedioha’s emergence, the immediate past Rebuild Imo administration couldn’t give them “soft landing” to be integrated into the system, hence they opted for APC as Uzodinma came in. What further prompted the pro-Anyanwu group to leave the party was the suspension clampdown handed to the Senator even as he is yet to quit from the PDP.
Either way, what occurred in Imo PDP recently can’t be separated from peculiarities of party politics in Nigeria even as self destructive tendencies within the party fold orchestrated by its leadership will also share the blame. When I spoke with the erstwhile legal adviser, Jerry Egemba who has also dumped the party, those who are “strangers” to the foundation and apparently unaware of the very foundations of the party came in to hijack and “mess” up the system hence those in his shoes have to quit.
Whether Egemba’s claims are right or wrong, it is left for the party members to check if anyone would cry for them in the present circumstances.
