Crisis in Anambra PDP Worsens

Fri, Aug 14, 2015
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BREAKING NEWS, Featured, Politics

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Leadership tussle is tearing the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State apart with each fashion claiming the expulsion of opponent from the party

By Anayo Ezugwu  |  Aug 24, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT  |

BARELY one month after its state congress fresh crisis has hit Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The emerging crisis seems to have ended the moves by concerned stakeholders of the party in the state to reconcile various factions that exist in the party.

The division has become sharper as a faction led by Tony Nwoye, former governorship candidate of the party, claimed that it had suspended Ken Emeakayi, state chairman and Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary of the party, from his ward.

The Nwoye group with Ossy Ezenwa as state chairman and Basil Ejidike, state secretary, refuted the reports in the media that the Emeakayi-led executive had suspended Nwoye and members of his group. Rather, the faction in a press statement made available to Realnews, said it had ratified the suspension of Metuh by his ward Otolo Ward 1 in Nnewi-North LGA and Emeakayi.

The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to the purported suspension of Tony Nwoye, Ossy Ezenwa, Basil Ejidike, Balonwu Jessie and others by one Ken Emeakayi, who was expelled by PDP NWC/NEC in its 280th meeting. It is very pertinent to state here that Ken Emeakayi has no constitutional powers to suspend any member of the Party. He is not a member of PDP until NWC and NEC reverses his expulsion which they earlier on ratified his expulsion and duly communicated the then South East Zonal Chairman Olisa Metuh. Until that is done, Emeakayi is not a bonafide member of the PDP hence he is bereft of any moral, legal and constitutional right to suspend any bonafide member of PDP.

“Comrade Tony Nwoye, Tony Macfoy, Prince Ossy Ezenwa and other notable stake-holders in the Anambra State chapter of PDP have tried to re-position the party to create an enabling environment for the grass-roots to also have a say and contribute positively and responsibly to the people of Anambra state. But Olisa Metuh on the other hand is working tirelessly to cover up the embezzlement and monumental fraud he perpetrated on the party since these couple of years he held the party to ransom.

“The PDP Anambra State will no longer accommodate the bad influence of Olisa Metuh. Also, we reaffirm the PDP NWC/NEC expulsion of Ken Emeakayi from the party. We strongly advise him to clear himself of the murder charge of Barnabas Igwe, former chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Onitsha branch and his wife hanging on his head, as well as other corruption charges hovering around him. In line with the desires of the PDP members in Otolo Ward 1, and Nnewi-North LGA (where Olisa Metuh hails from), the PDP herby hearkens unto the wishes of the people and in effect approves and ratifies the suspension of Olisa Metuh from the PDP with immediate effect on the grounds of massive corruption and embezzlement of party fund and humbly call on him to submit himself to the Nigerian Police for prosecution.”

Apparently in support of the Nwoye group, Ikeagwuonwu Chinedu Klinsmann, leader of the PDP integrity group in the state, said Metuh and Emeakayi were conscience deficit and psychologically handicapped to dictate to Anambra State PDP. Klinsmann said Metuh had been a political liability to the PDP even before the handover to the present administration because of his poor performances and bickering.

“I am never afraid of standing for what I believe in even if it means standing alone. Olisa Metuh and Ken Emeakayi’s recent attempt to stampede PDP members in Anambra state is a surgical operation performed without anaesthesia. It should be recalled that in line with party’s directive and in the spirit of brotherhood and sportsmanship, the stakeholders of Anambra State PDP tried to forgive Olisa Metuh and his errand boy Ken Emeakayi on account of their disgraceful roles during the last Governorship election in the state, but these two individuals have once again proved their unrepentant disposition and disrespect to stake-holders and elders who have suffered to build our great party stage by stage and brick by brick for almost two decades,” Klinsmann said.

Indeed, the Metuh-led faction had on Thursday, August 13, announced the suspension of Nwoye and eight others from contesting any election on the platform of the PDP for two years. The disciplinary committee at the party secretariat in Awka said Nwoye and others who had been earlier suspended by the state executive committee were guilty of allegations levelled against them.

The committee, headed by Sam Ezebilie and Aniebo Chibuzo, secretary, said: “After listening to the submission of the prosecuting counsel Barr. A. Akonanya and careful study of the charge brought before this committee by the state executive members of PDP Anambra State, this committee hereby agrees with the earlier suspension on the erring members. Others banned alongside Nwoye are, Prince Osita Ezenwa, Basil Ejidike, Jessy Belonwu, Kenneth Arinze, Uche Ogbonna, Tony Macfore Akachukwu, Ejike Oguebego and Chuks Okoye.”

The panel said the offences of Nwoye and his group were covered under section 58 (1) paragraph B of the constitution of the PDP as amended in 2012. It accused the members of engaging in disorderly conduct at meetings, rallies and party functions, engaging in unauthorised publicity of disputes within the party and creating a parallel party organ

The state chapter had on July 25, elected Emeakayi as the new state chairman. The state congress was reported to have been conducted peacefully with delegates expressing satisfaction and reviving hope for the party ahead of the 2017 governorship election in the state. But instead of the new leadership resolving the crisis on ground, it has degenerated into suspension and counter-suspension. With this latest development, the discordant tune within the party seems to be spreading as the day passes by.

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