As with other political parties, the bane of Peoples Democratic Party, Imo State chapter has remained Delegate elections, which produce those who will vote for candidates to emerge for various elective positions.
This exercise usually leave behind, bad blood and quarrels which trigger off lingering squabbles that morph into a conflagration that dogs the party up to the major elections.
Tomorrow being September 8, 2018 (Saturday)the relative peace that exist within the Imo PDP could be stretched to its elasticity, as Delegates are elected in the three hundred and five (305)Wards in Imo State.
For sure, there is no way such an exercise will take place without leaving behind disagreements. But the question is can Imo PDP be able to handle amicably the issues that will arise after this Delegate exercise, and be able to resolve them and enter the primaries and the main election as one whole Body?
But whether there would be complains and disagreements is certain. Because, each Ward is expected to produce just three Adhoc Delegates. And it would be done through affirmation where there is agreement based on harmonization, while elections will take place in Areas where peaceful agreement could not be reached.
Under this circumstance, a lot of people will contest for the few chances, and there is bound to winners and losers. In this case it takes only good sports men and women to accept defeat and move on and work for the party in the major election. Infact, the PDP already knew that in such contests there would be complaints, which was the reason the party set up Appeal Panels to attend to members who may feel aggrieved after the exercise.
However, as is always the case, these Delegates will be the products through which candidates of the party will emerge for the 2018 general elections.
In that case, every Aspirant in all the categories of 2019 election must be interested how the Delegates emerge.
This situation makes the Saturday election dicey and highly partisan. Delegate election is the election before the elections, because which ever Aspirant that has the majority sympathy of the emerged delegates tomorrow would have already secured the party’s ticket, since the primaries would be an easy sail for such Aspirants.
Under this circumstance, Delegate elections in PDP has always been fought to finish. And that of Saturday will not be a difference.
Political parties are vehicles through which individuals pursue their personal interests to attain political positions.
Much as Imo PDP claims to be one family. But as in political parties all over of the world, there are always “Families, among Families” in political parties.
However, the only good thing with Imo PDP of today is that some Bigwigs have left the party in pursuance of their political futures in other parties, therefore leaving a more peaceful PDP, which has morphed into more close family.
But since nature abhors a vacuum, the exit of the likes of Senator Hope Uzodinma and others, has produced more leaders who have filled the openings.
Yet, PDP as a party has grown from strength to strength, since no man is indispensible.
In today’s PDP, the main issue as always, is the Governorship position, which usually dominates all elections in States, since whoever emerges in this particular position controls the affairs of the State, mainly its finances.
Therefore, as the Delegate election issue rages, the Governorship Aspirants of Imo PDP must dominate the discussions, as their hopes of moving further in the race depends on the final outcome of Saturday’s exercise.
Although there are already the existing Delegates, who emerged through their statutory positions as party officials or their former positions in the party.
But tomorrow’s outcome will add to the advantage or disadvantage of any Aspirant in making it as a candidate.
For sure, much as there are Prof Jude Njoku, Senator Athan Achonu, Bar Chuks Ekomaru (SAN), Senator Sam Daddy Anyanwu and Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha as Imo PDP Governorship Aspirant, only Achonu is from Okigwe zone, while the rest come from Owerri zone, without any Aspirant from Orlu.
Among these Aspirants, the major factors are Anyanwu and Ihedioha. This is not disrespecting others.
While Anyanwu hails from Mbaike axis of Owerri zone, (Mbaitoli/Ikeduru) which is two LGAs, Ihedioha hails from the Mbaise block with three LGAs of Aboh, Ahiazu and Ezinihitte, with no other Governorship Aspirant from that Area in PDP.
However, Ekomaru hails from Mbaitoli, while Jude Njoku is from Ngor Okpala, Achonu is from Ehime Mbano and the only Aspirant from Okigwe zone.
But despite this situation, bookmakers are tipping the battle to be between Ihedioha and Anyanwu. And this is anchored on the number of Delegates that will vote for both of them.
Since there is no Aspirant yet from Orlu, it leaves that large zone with twelve (12) LGAs was the poaching ground for whoever will emerge as the PDP Guber candidate.
This makes the Delegate elections in Orlu a serious contention between Ihedioha and Anyanwu apologists. Because which ever camp that influences the majority of Orlu Delegates today has gone half way in the race proper.
For Okigwe, it is still difficult to predict that Achonu would be left alone to corner the Delegates simply because he is the only Aspirant from that zone.
Apart from the Governorship Aspirants, there other Aspirants in the House of Assembly, Federal House and Senate.
From all indications, these other Aspirants are either joining hands with Ihedioha or Anyanwu.
This scenario creates a situation where the battle will rage internally to produce the candidates, and in the process toes would be stepped on.
No election is small. This is because, the various cells within the PDP will confront each other with all the have during this Delegate Battle.
Therefore, when the war is over, all parties must bear in mind that whatever takes place tomorrow in the bid to outsmart each is nothing but a preliminary match, which is also a “match” before other “matches”, until the final “match”.
This is the reason politics called a “game”. It is not meant for the lilly-hearted. If you hate heat stay away from the kitchen.
Therefore, whoever “loses” should remember that there is a tomorrow. In a competition, everybody is competing to win but whenever is over, whoever loses must have the heart to accept defeat and join the winner.
But this has not been so in Imo PDP, which is the reason the party has failed to harvest its successes, being the largest political party in Imo State.
When other political party members lose, they remain to help the party further. But in PDP, whoever loses pulls all his resources together just to pull the party down, instead of otherwise.
By Saturday, another big trial will face the party. It is after tomorrow and the preceding days that Imo people will know who are the real PDP members in the State.
