PDP Holds Ward Congresses in Rivers Despite Court Orders

•Mbah describes exercise as huge success in Enugu

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt  

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday held its ward congresses in Rivers State despite two court orders stopping the party from going ahead with the exercise.

This is as Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State lauded the huge success recorded in the congresses in the state, noting that the process was peaceful, free, fair, and credible.

Members of the party converged at the PDP secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt and collected materials for the exercise.

It was gathered that after collecting their materials, the party members left for their various wards in their different councils.

Justice Charles Wali on Friday barred the party, its National Chairman, Iliya Damagum, and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, or their agents, from gathering anywhere in Rivers State to hold ward, local government, and state congresses pending the determination of the suit before the court.

The judge further directed the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to enforce the order.

Prior to Wali’s order, Justice Sobere Biambo had issued an order in a suit filed by David Omereji and 10 others stopping the PDP, its national chairperson, national financial secretary, and national organizing secretary from conducting the congress.

But a Federal High Court in Abuja was said to have countered the first order and allowed the party to proceed with its congresses.

Justice Peter Lifu had barred the DSS, the police, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and seven others from “stopping, truncating, or disrupting” the congresses.

It was learnt that the PDP in Ward 1 Oro Igwe, Obio Akpor Local Government Area held its ward congress and successfully elected new ward executives and a three-man delegate. 

The event reportedly took place at Eliozu community hall and was monitored by INEC.

The Speaker of the 27-member House of Assembly, Martin Chike Amaewhule, was said to have participated in the exercise.

The party was said to have also held its congress in Ward 14, Eneka/Rukpokwu, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State.

Sources said the event witnessed a massive turnout of party faithful, who partook in the exercise and reelected Sir Chukwuemeka Owhor  as Chairman  for a second term.

Wobe Mike Junior was reportedly elected the Vice-Chairman; ThankGod Wuzor,  Secretary; Ogbonna Joy Wobiareari, Assistant Secretary; Mr. Nyekwe Victor Nyebuchi – Publicity Secretary.

Enugu State Governor, Mbah  has lauded the huge success recorded in the congresses in the state, noting that the process was peaceful, free, fair, and credible.

This was even as the Chairman of the five-man PDP Ward Congresses Electoral Committee for Enugu State, Toni Iyoha, who monitored the exercise across the 260 electoral wards of the state, commended party faithful for the peaceful and transparent exercise, saying the strength of the party was at the grassroots.

Governor Mbah, who was elated at the huge turnout at the congresses across the state, said it was a confirmation that the few setbacks suffered by the PDP in the last general elections were an exception and not the norm, assuring that the party would continue to consolidate on the successes recorded so far.

The governor stated this while fielding questions from news men at his Owo Ward, in Nkanu East LGA, where he participated in the congress.

He said, “We are truly delighted not just because of the outcome and turnout of what we witnessed here today, but also the way and manner the people conducted themselves, especially as they acknowledged that this is a family affair.

“This is what we represent as a party. We believe in entrenching democracy at the grassroots level because the strength of our party is determined by our visibility at the grassroots; and the number of people that came out attests to it.

“We are equally not surprised that we have a lot of people, who are thronging into the PDP family to become members. Since the advent of the Fourth Republic, Enugu has been a PDP state. We have enjoyed over the last 25 years the leadership of the state and we know that we have been better for it as people.”

Also speaking to newsmen after monitoring the exercise at Owo Ward, Chairman of the PDP Ward Congress Electoral Committee, Iyoha, said what he saw during his monitoring of the exercise with his team across the state was a testimony that the people of the state were happy with the PDP and the Mbah administration.

“From what I witnessed, it showed that PDP in Enugu is built bottom up from the nucleus and its stronghold lies within ward level.

“I have no doubt in my mind that PDP will remain strong in Enugu State. What we saw today, people were allowed to test their popularity in an open balloting.

“Also, the turnout and the interactions we had with the grassroots showed that the people are very happy with their governor,” Iyoha concluded.