Don’t Bow to Godfatherism, Anambra Stakeholders Appeal to Ayu, Others

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Ripples of the last week delegates elections continued as a faction in the party in Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have urged the Iyorchia  Ayu-led National Working Committee (NWC) to listen to the will of the people expressed during the delegate election.

The PDP in the state after a four hours meeting with all contending groups in the state,  urged the NWC not to bow to the wishes of those he described as “godfathers”

Addressing newsmen after the meeting,  the former National Publicity Secretary,  Olisa Metu, said that party members in the state have spoken and “it is in the best interest of the PDP to respect the will of the people than pander to the views of the godfathers.”

According to  Metu,  “the people have spoken and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  monitored the congresses,  we wonder why the Ayu led NWC is dilly dallying over the matter. We want him to release the outcome of the delegates election in the state.

“INEC report is clear on the conduct of the three man ad-hoc delegates list. We  wonder the NWC led by Ayu is reluctant in obeying the wishes of the people”.

Also yesterday. stakeholders, elders, governorship and national aspirants of the PDP in Abia state  cautioned the NWC of the party not use the outcome of the three man ad-hoc delegate election in conducting the governorship, and National Assembly congresses expected to commence Saturday.

They also warned that if the NWC of the party did not adhere to their warning that what happened in Zamfara state in 2019 where the APC lost its governorship and National Assembly will happen to the PDP after it might have won the elections in 2023.

The Abia state stakeholders said that there were no state ad-hoc elections in the state as the list presented to the NWC was fake and an imposition.

Addressing a press conference Tuesday at the PDP National secretariat,  Senate Minority Leader,  Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe leading Hon Ude Oko Chukwu (Deputy Governor, Abia and Gubernatorial Aspirant. Hon Uzoma Nkem Abonta (Member, House of Representatives, a House of Representatives aspirant Senator Emma Nwaka (Fmr State Chairman, PDP Abia & Gubernatorial Aspirant, Engr Enyinna Nwafor (Gubernatorial Aspirant, Dr Chima Anyaso (Gubernatorial Aspirant. Hon Dr Sampson Oriji (Gubernatorial Aspirant) Sampson Aji, Barrister David Iro (State Secretary, PDP Abia), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu (BOT, Member & Elder Statesman. Chief Charles Ogbonna (Fmr. Commissioner and Elder Statesman said that no ad-hoc election took place on May 4 2022.

According to  them,  “There was not and has never been any Ward Congress to elect the 3-man Adhoc delegates in Abia State. The congress, earlier scheduled to hold on 30th April, 2022 was cancelled due to a court order and therefore, could not hold. It was re-scheduled to hold on May 4th 2022.

” It also failed to hold on that date because of a public holiday declared in Abia State and since then none has been held, neither has there been any communication for another congress by PDP National Headquarters.

“This can be verified vide an official letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that confirmed the last official communication between it and PDP to the effect that no congresses to elect the 3-man Ad-hoc delegates for the party primary elections has held up till today