There were indications last night that a former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha may dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over a rift with the party’d National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
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The two politicians were cleared last week to contest the party’s ticket for the Imo State governorship election billed to hold in November.
But Ihedioha had, on Tuesday, withdrawn from the race while the ward congresses to elect delegates for the governorship primary election were still ongoing as of Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ihedioha, in a letter, dated March 27 and addressed to the PDP National Chairman, stated that he was withdrawing “in the interest of harmony and unity of our party”.
But sources close to Ihedioha said yesterday that the former Imo State governor withdrew from the race to protest Anyanwu’s continued stay in office as National Secretary while contesting the state governorship ticket.
By virtue of his position as the National Secretary, Anyanwu has continued to play key roles in the processes that will lead to the primary election to elect the governorship flag bearer.
Deploring the situation, a PDP pressure group, Action 2023, described Anyanwu’s action as “naked impunity” that was being sustained by the suspended PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
A statement yesterday by the chairman of the PDP Action 2023, Dr. Rufus Omeire, said Ayu, before his suspension on Monday, had ignored protestations and calls to the party’s leadership to address the anomaly.
Omeire said Ihedioha’s withdrawal from the race had unsettled PDP members and supporters in Imo State, especially those who were waiting for the November election to re-establish his 2019 mandate, which they claimed, was “stolen” in January 2020.
Stating that there was still time to remedy the situation, Action 2023 urged the Umar Damagum-led PDP national leadership to ensure a level-playing field for other interested aspirants to join the race.
It added: “It is shocking that as the National Secretary, Senator Anyanwu, who was screened and cleared to contest for the ticket, was the same person that signed the clearance certificates for the aspirants.”
The group urged Anyanwu to resign his position as National Secretary and to focus on his governorship aspiration, stressing that to do otherwise would amount to a conflict of interests.
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