By Myke Uzendu
As defection haemorrhage continues in the Imo State Chapter of the People Democratic Party (PDP) a National Ex-officio member, Madu Chinemerem has called on the national leadership of the party to stop living in denial and take concrete steps to see if anything can still be salvaged from the party’s carcass in the state.
Chinemerem in a statement on Sunday, noted that the orgy of defection arose after the National Secretary of the party, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu hijacked the party’s structure and shoved aside former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as well as the Redemption group, led by former governor Achike Udenwa which even provided the platform for Anywanwu popularly known as Samdaddy to come into political lime light.
The elder statesman described Anyanwu as a political feather weight who takes instructions from the South South. He said that the defections witnessed in the party started in 2019 when Anyanwu hijacked the governorship ticket of the party and as he is not ready to open up the system,, many stake holders abandoned the party and campaign for him.
Throwing more light on the power blocks in the state that control the polity, he said: “There are three strong men of Imo politics that have consistent loyal allies and followers: Emeka Ihedioha, Hope Uzodinma and Ifeanyi Ararume. Imo PDP was once controlled by Governor Achike Udenwa and his Redemption Structure to the extent that when PDP Exco was taken from him by the Olusegun Obasanjo system, his Redemption structure effectively “delivered” Governor Ikedi Ohakim of the PPA, a little known political party.
“The 2015 primary election was won by Ihedioha with heavy array of contestants (about 8 of them) that included Senators Ararume, Chris Anyanwu, Bright Nwanne and former Governor Ohakim. It wasn’t an easy ride for anybody, GMG exchanged hands. Only a battle tested and battle ready general could have defeated these supermen. Give it to Ihedioha..
“It’s a known fact that Ihedioha was winning on general election day before state collation was halted from Abuja with only a handful of polling units remaining. Buhari was declared president-elect and he visited Imo twice before the re-run. The rest is history.
“Samdaddy Anyanwu, an acolyte of Ihedioha who had emerged as Senator through the instrumentality of Ihedioha immersed himself into the 2019 contest; abandoning a low lying fruit and handy return ticket to the Senate. He lost the guber primary with over 350 votes. He went to court and up to the Supreme Court and lost”.
Making a comparism of the political sagacity of the two actors he continued,
“During the general election PDP/Ihedioha won handsomely in all the 105 Wards in Owerri Zone, except in Amaimo Ward in Ikeduru LGA where Samdaddy Anyanwu hails from that was cancelled. The rest is also history”.
“He said that Samdaddy’s sustained rebellion against the Imo PDP and South East, such as occupying SE slot as National Secretary and being loyal to South South has been concerning.
“He hijacked the 2023 guber ticket without local content and the outcome was as predicted. Samdaddy’s quest for party power has not been to gain political control in Imo, but rather to carry out indiscriminate violence against the PDP close-nit family unit and other “purposes”.
“Governor Achike Udenwa has not yet resigned but won’t work with Samdaddy. You can take that to the bank. His key men, the Redemption structure, former appointees, body and soul have resigned and joined Ihedioha
“The State Officers have all resigned. Seven SWC members resigned last year and blamed it on their inability to support the Samdaddy ticket. Others just followed suit. Only the Financial Secretary has yet to nput in his letter. A loner out there.
“Chuka Odom, a former Minister, ThankGod Ezeani, former HoR member, Chris Okewulonu, former CoS, SSG, BoT and Gerald Irona former HoR member and Deputy Governor, all heavy enablers with huge pockets with their supporters and in some cases entire Ward to LGA Excos and Zonal Officers have all gone forth”.
According to him, “The present situation of Imo PDP finds us trapped between denial and disaster. Denial is when we ignore the shadow; disaster is when we totally surrender to it. Without being at either extreme, right now many PDP partisans even at the national level feel the unsettling symptom of being out of control.
“In Imo, until this Ihedioha outbreak runs its full course, which no one can predict a time line, the Party will remain immune to all the “normal”constraints and any latter-day intervention will only be medicine after death”.
He called for urgent national party intervention towards salvaging the PDP in Imo State.
