.AS PDP CRITICAL LEADERS TAKE POSITION
With less than a fortnight left before the November 11, 2023 off-cycle governorship election in Imo State, it is disturbing that the Peoples Democratic Party continues to be divided down the middle. The fissures between the pro-Emeka Ihedioha and the pro-Samuel Anyanwu groups that dominated the pre-primary election days keep growing wider as the elections come closer. This syndrome was demonstrated at a recent meeting of the Imo PDP Critical Stakeholders held in Owerri. Here was a meeting earlier scheduled at the state party secretariat but moved to a later date and new venue in New Owerri which to an outsider was to promote the interests of the PDP gubernatorial candidate. But that was not to be.
Events of the last five months have crystally demonstrated that the political pressure group known as Imo PDP Critical Stakeholders is the main headache facing the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu also known as Samdaddy, in the Imo State November 11, 2023
First, the group battled Samdaddy to stupor, urging him to step down from his position as the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Samdaddy did all he could to frustrate the move that urged him to resign. He even gave instances of previous PDP candidates to various offices who never resigned before contesting their respective elections.
But the stakeholders punctured that argument by quoting relevant sections of both the party and the Nigerian constitution that stipulate that any person occupying such a position like the national secretary of the party must resign at least 30 days before election.
At the meeting, the Critical Stakeholders contended that it was an injustice and clear case of deliberate disregard for equity and fairness for one person to simultaneously be the candidate of the party and at the same time hold the position of the national secretary of the party.
Several speakers were of the view that, they are not fighting Senator Anyanwu as a person rather that their mission is to correct the system that brought him up. He got the PDP governorship ticket on a platter of gold and still held very tenaciously to the national secretaryship position. To that effect, they claim that today they are vindicated by the turn of events that have seen Senator Anyanwu removed from office to allow him time to conclusively run his election.
At this meeting attended by over 1200 members from across the state, the twenty seven local government areas and the 305 wards of the state the stakeholders, showed strength and capacity and talked of who they will not vote for but did not indicate who they will vote for in the November 11 election in state.
The stakeholders group this reporter was told is represented in all the 305 wards of the state as well as in the 4617 polling units in the state. In the end, attendees were directed to go home and mobilize in ernest. With this intimidating and impressive membership one wonder why Samdaddy has not bothered to reach out to this group if he is desirous of winning the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Imo state for the Peoples Democratic Party?
This question has become more evident now than ever before as the stakeholders group seems to be the soul and body of Imo PDP going by its visibility and reach.
