Anxiety as Mass Resignation Hits Anambra PDP over Obi

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Mass resignation has hit the Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the recent resignation of a former governor of the state, Mr Peter Obi from the party, THISDAY can authoritatively report.
Obi, a presidential aspirant had on Wednesday resigned his membership of the PDP and also withdrew from the party’s presidential primary, citing irregularities in the processes leading to the party’s presidential primary election as reason for his resignation.

His action was said to have dampened the zeal and aspiration of some of the party’s aspirant to national and state assembly, as it was believed that Obi’s popularity in the state has a way of affecting other aspirants of his party positively.

Mr Valentine Ozigbo, PDP’s governorship candidate in the November 2021 governorship election in Anambra and a senatorial aspirant, yesterday, withdrew from the scheduled primary election. Hon Valentine Ayika, Hon Tony Nwoye and Hon George Ozodinobi, former members of National Assembly also withdrew from the contest and resigned from the party too.

Ozigbo, in his withdrawal letter, which was addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, stated that the party has been highjacked by three Senatorial aspirants and their cohorts.

He listed the aspirants to include Senator Uche Ekwunife, Senator Stella Oduah and self-styled godfather of Anambra politics, Chief Chris Uba, who is also running for Senate.

In the letter sighted by THISDAY, Ozigbo said, “I wish to bring to your attention a series of retrogressive developments in our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, particularly, in Anambra South.

“Sir, I would like to state this clearly. The actions of Chris Uba and Linus Ukachukwu, with the support of Uche Ekwunife, and Stella Oduah, and a few others are the reasons PDP in Anambra may end up fielding no candidate in the 2023 elections.”

Consequently, he announced his withdrawal from the primary. THISDAY learnt that he is also set to leave the party.
A source within Anambra PDP told THISDAY that more prominent politicians in the state would still dump the PDP in the coming days.

The source said it was in anger that Peter Obi left the party, as Uba and others were working to humiliate him in the state, even as he battled his fellow presidential aspirants.

“More people will leave before the end of this week. It is true that PDP in Nigeria has problem, but the problem of Anambra PDP is far more than that of the nation. It is still the reason they have not held primary election for any position, till today.

“The plot is for all Obi line up to move en mass, and join Labour Party, from where they will give PDP a fight,” the source said.