Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has postponed its Ward and Local Government Council congresses in Abia and Ebonyi states initially slated for today, Saturday, July 27.
PDP has equally conveyed the postponement to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, via a letter jointly signed by the Acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagum; and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
The postponement, according to the letter dated July 24, and sighted by Ikengaonline, was due to “operational challenges.”
PDP promised to inform the electoral umpire of the next date of the congresses when finally re-scheduled.
It read in part: “Please refer to our earlier letter on the above subject matter with ref: PDP/DOM/GF.2/VOL.1F/24-069 dated Friday, April 19, 2024 in which we informed the Commission of our Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the conduct of our Year 2024 planned Congresses in 24 (twenty-four) State Chapters of our Party.
“Due to operational challenges, we are compelled to postpone the Congresses in Abia and Ebonyi States.
“We will notify the Commission once new dates are fixed for these aforementioned States.
“What this means invariably is that Ward, LGA and State Congresses will not hold in these States as earlier scheduled. Please note for implementation purposes.
“We will continue to update the Commission on this issue. While thanking you for your usual cooperation, kindly acknowledge the receipt of this letter. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
Meanwhile, some aggrieved PDP members in Abia, had already obtained court injunction to stall the exercise in the state.
One of the claimants, Chief Francis Etuzu, PDP Chairman, Ward 1, Ahikwu Olokoro, Umuahia South Local Government Area, in an interview Friday, gave reasons for his action.
Etuzu who hails from the Ward of the late PDP National Chairman, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, cited impunity and disregard for internal democracy as reasons for the action.
He also claimed that certain forces had hijacked the party’s structure in his Ward and sidelined him.
Etuzu, contrary to claims by the state leadership of the party, denied that he had resigned his membership of the PDP, dismissing the claim as complete falsehood.
He accused enemies of the late Chief Ogbulafor of masterminding the plot to sideline him in the party but vowed to fight for his right.
“I decided never to leave PDP because Chief Ogbulafor who brought PDP to Abia State told me before he died, not to allow the party die in our area. So, I won’t leave PDP.”
Etuzu said that leadership of the party in his Council handed over the party register and membership cards for the ward to another person instead of him as the party Chairman, describing it as an error that must be resisted.
“I’m the Ward 1 Chairman but I don’t know what is going on in the party. The enemies of Chief Vin Ogbulafor are trying to victimise me without considering the interest of the party.
He vowed to resist impunity and injustice, regretting that efforts to get the attention of the party leadership to address the matter failed, hence his decision to seek redress in the court.
The Ward Chairman called on the national leadership of the PDP to set up a Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the party in Abia until the party conducts a fresh congress as the tenure of the current leadership would expire by July 27, 2024.
Recall that Etuzu along with two other claimants – Chidindu Kalu Kalu and Enyinnaya Ogbu, had gone to Abia High Court to obtain an injunction restraining PDP from conducting the congress.
The order was granted by Justice C.U. Okoroafor of the Bende Judicial Division of the Abia State High Court on July 23, 2024.
The Court order read in part: “That the Defendants, either by themselves, their representatives, servant, agents, assigns, or howsoever called are hereby restrained from holding or carrying on the People’s Democratic Party’s Congress in Abia State on 27 of July 2024 or to reschedule it to be held on any other date or location pending the hearing and determination of the motion on Notice already filled.
“The Defendants by themselves, their representatives, servants, agents, assigns or howsoever called are hereby restrained from taking any decision or giving any directive to further extend the already expired tenure of the last State, Local Government and Ward Executive Officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed.”
The case was adjourned till July 30, 2024.
The State Working Committee of the party, had in a statement by the PDP Acting Publicity Secretary, Elder Abraham Amah, said the claimants were no longer members of PDP.
He said PDP would activate mechanisms to stop the “unjust” court orders.
“Leadership of the Abia PDP wishes to inform all stakeholders and members that the State Working Committee, SWC convened an emergency meeting to address the recent restraining order obtained by certain individuals who had previously resigned from the party prior to the 2023 general elections.
“During this critical meeting, we unanimously agreed to activate our legal department to take appropriate and decisive actions against this unjust restraining order,” Amah said in the statement.
