..As Ihedioha’s aide resigns
From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Last week’s Supreme Court ruling that sacked the senatorial candidate of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo west, Hon. Jones Onyereri, may have sparked off more crisis in the state chapter of the party
It’s politically certain that all is not well with Imo State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, since Supreme Court of Nigeria last week truncated the ambition of Hon. Jones Onyeriri, as wrangling, bickering, accusations and counter accusations becomes bread of sorrows for the party.
The level of animosity, infighting and disunity currently enmeshed by the party is a serious concern to the party’s faithful and chieftains barely few weeks to the general elections and the risk of the party going for the elections as divided house seems certain.
It’s pertinent to recall that the political crisis erupted in the zones in the party after the sack of its senatorial candidate by the apex court. Some party leaders pointed fingers at a former governor of the State, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, for the party’s misfortune at the Senatorial race.
In a statement issued few days after Supreme Court nullified the election of Onyeriri, the Orlu PDP leaders stated that “following the Supreme Court verdict nullifying the election of Dr.Jones Onyeriri as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Imo West Senatorial district, leaders and stakeholders of the party in Orlu zone have vehemently declared Chief Emeka Ihedioha persona non grata for allegedly ‘masterminding’ the loss.”
Moreso, it also seems that Onyeriri’s sack has weakened other candidates jostling for House of Representatives and State House of Assembly seats in the senatorial district.
Analysts contend that barely few weeks to the presidential and National Assembly elections, the absence of a PDP senatorial candidate in Orlu zone, has given edge to candidates of the All Progressives Congress, Senatorial Osita Izunaso and Labour Party, Charles Ahize, ahead of the Febuaary 25 Presidential and National Assembly polls.
It is now believed that the major threat to APC, in Orlu zone, which is the Senatorial zone of Governor Hope Uzodimma, is the PDP.
W”ith the Senatorial candidate out of the contest via the Supreme Court judgement, the coast is seemingly clear for the APC and the LP” said a Eke Uba, a political analyst based in Owerri.
With the PDP out of the picture, the race for Orlu Senate has been narrowed down to a two horse race, a development which may equally affect the chances of the party in other zones of the State
The Imo PDP state of confusion further went down following the resignation of a former Commissioner for Technological Development in Imo State, Meekam Mgbenwelu, as the spokesman for the Rebuild Imo Organisation, a political movement of the former governor, Emeka Ihedioha.
In a letter dated January 17, which was addressed to the former governor, Mgbenwelu cited the conflicts within the Peoples Democratic Party among other reasons for his resignation.
He also mentioned the Supreme Court nullification of the senatorial primary of the PDP for Imo West (Orlu zone) that produced Jones Onyereri as a candidate.
“Let me thank you for the opportunity accorded me to serve as the #RebuildImo Spokesperson. I am writing to inform you of my decision to relinquish this role.
“The internecine conflicts within Imo State PDP, have significantly impeded my ability to communicate effectively to the various stakeholders that constitute the broader collective.
“Only recently, a PDP Senatorial Candidate of our great party was unfairly denied the opportunity to offer his services to his constituents in the Orlu zone where I also hail from.
“Ironically, the sad turn of events was precipitated by a fellow PDP party member.
“I am therefore compelled to tender my resignation as Spokesperson for the #Rebuildimo Organisation,” the letter read.
