Controversy trails Kalu’s return to PDP

UMUAHIA— CONTROVERESY has continued to trail the return last week to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by Chief Orji Uzor Kalu as the party’s leadership and scores of stakeholders from his Bende local government area yesterday dismissed insinuations that the former governor had been readmitted to the party.

PDP in Bende and the stakeholders insisted they had not changed their position nor lifted the embargo against admitting Chief Orji Kalu to PDP, stressing that the former governor  was not a member of the party.

Rising from a meeting of the party leadership in the area, the leaders and stakeholders said  “the current wave of subterranean maneuvers initiated by the former governor at the national and ward levels suggest that Chief Orji Uzor Kalu would again sow seeds of discord and create unhealthy and undemocratic environment in Bende homeland.”

A  communiqué signed by 47 party leaders and stakeholders in Bende maintained that the party leaders who admitted the former governor had resigned from the party.

However, the ward party leaders who were said to have resigned, faulted the claim, saying they never resigned.

Those in question, including Mr. Joseph Chika Emeri, Chairman Igbere Ward A and Mr. Amaechi Uko, chairman, Igbere Ward B, denied resigning as party leaders in the ward.

They also defended the membership card issued to the former governor, saying PDP had no fake membership cards.

According to them, they were warned by the party not to register Kalu but PDP has also told us to get new people.