The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in the South-East have been experiencing crisis. The crisis is over the position of National Secretary of the party which was delineated to the South-East.
During a meeting of the party in Abuja on Monday, some party leaders supported Senator Sam Anyanwu from Imo State, as the zonal consensus candidate. This however did not sit well with some top party members who rejected him.
The top stakeholders of the PDP opposing Senator Anyaanwu are Senator Achike Udenma, Emeka Ihedioha, and the former Governor of Anambra, Peter Obi. The party chieftains said that the region has not reached an agreement over its consensus candidate.
This was disclosed in a statement by the National ex-officio of the party from Imo State, Chief Madu Chinemerem.
He stated that at the Zonal meeting of the party which was earlier held in Enugu State, Senator Anyanwu was not elected as the South East consensus candidate. According to him during the meeting, Anyanwu was endorsed by Governor Ugwuanyi of Imo and Governor Ikpeazu of Abia state but was rejected by top party members like Peter Obi.
“The entire Anambra delegation, led by Peter Obi, rejected it. Imo delegates, led by former Governors Emeka Ihedioha and Achike Udenwa also rejected it. The state chairmen of some of the states said no. The meeting ended without any agreement”, he said.
Anyanwu was also at the PDP National Secretariat on Monday to submit his nomination form. Anyanwu, who came into the company of the South-East PDP zonal chairman, Ali Odessa, said he was elected as the consensus candidate. He refuted claims that he was being imposed on the party by interests outside of the South East.
Anyanwu stated: “I can never be imposed by anybody because I am a moving machine for the party. I have never lost an election in PDP even when it mattered most, I have always won in Imo state. In the South-East, Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, and Ebonyi, no leader does not know who I am.”
He also denied allegations of crisis among party members in the South-East.
“I am a very humble person; I am very humane and of course a pure and true loyal party member that everybody wants to listen to. There is no problem in the South-East. I know even before I emerge as the National Secretary of the party, there are a lot of indications that there will be a tsunami in the next few weeks in Imo state. Those who are going to move out from the All Progressives Congress because of hearing my name as the National Secretary of the party. I think I will not disappoint”, he said.
Another party member, Oke Omuo-Aroh, who is also contesting for the position and was at the PDP National Secretariat, to submit his nomination form, stated that the claims of a consensus candidate were not true.
