A dispute has erupted over the ongoing congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, as party chieftain, Chief Amaechi Onowu, has petitioned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, alleging that the exercise has been hijacked.
At the heart of the controversy are concerns about the conduct of the process meant to elect new party leaders in the state, particularly the sale of congress forms and the participation of party members in the exercise.
Onowu, who is an aspirant for the position of state chairman in the ongoing congresses, raised the allegations while addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja.
He noted that the position of state chairman had been zoned to the Anambra Central Senatorial District, from where he hails.
According to him, certain individuals within the party have allegedly taken control of the process in a manner that prevents other interested members from participating.
“I am a registered member of PDP in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. I want to draw the attention of our national leader, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike, to actions allegedly orchestrated by some political actors who have kept the PDP in the same shambles since the era of Chinwoke Mbadinuju till today,” he said.
Onowu alleged that some elements within the party had taken over the sale of congress forms in a bid to pave the way for an unopposed candidate for the position of state chairman, even though the individual currently serves as chairman of the party’s caretaker committee in the state.
He further claimed that the caretaker committee chairman had disenfranchised some party stakeholders and loyal members by denying them access to the congress forms needed to contest in the ongoing exercise.
He described the development as contrary to the directive allegedly issued by Wike that all registered party members should be allowed to participate freely in the congress to elect the state executive committee.
Onowu also alleged that the sale of chairmanship and other congress forms had been hijacked across the 21 local government areas of the state.
He warned that he would seek legal redress if the situation was not addressed.
According to him, he would approach the court by Tuesday next week should the sale of forms not be reopened to interested party members and transparency restored to the congress process.
Credit: Leadership