By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — PROTEST-ERS from Delta State who stormed the national Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to call for the dissolution of the state executive committee of the party were, yesterday, shunned by the leadership of the party.

The protesters numbering over 100 were led by the Secretary of the Delta State Elders Council, Barrister Alex Madu Ikpeazu, and other members of the Delta PDP faction loyal to the Ijaw leader and first Republic Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark.

This is coming barely two weeks after Chief Edwin Clark and some members of Delta State Elders Council met with the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, over the political imbroglio in the state chapter of the party.

Though they came with mats with plans to stage the protest for three days, but when they waited at the gate of the Wadata Plaza, they had to leave, just as they only succeeded in handing over a letter addressed to the National Chairman to journalists who requested for it.

Some of the inscription on the placards they carried read, “Uduaghan has killed Delta State PDP; extend your PDP reforms to Delta State; save us from factionalization; dissolve illegal PDP exco in Delta State led by Peter Uwaoboshi; INEC says no congresses in Delta State.”

While chanting anti-Uduaghan slogans they danced around the PDP secretariat obstructing human and vehicular movement in the immediate vicinity of the secretariat until they ran out steam and gradually dispersed without meeting any of the members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

In a letter to the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo titled: “Protest letter over non_dissolution of the illegal Delta State PDP executive committee and failure to appoint a caretaker committee” the PDP members said they earlier made the demands when they visited Nwodo on July 2010.

Reading the letter to Journalists for the group, Sir Eddy Akangbou said: “At paragraph seven of the written address presented to your Excellency, it was emphatically stated that since 2007 congresses have not been held in Delta State and that the present Barr Peter Nwaoboshi led executive committee is illegal and should be dissolved. We also demand that in its place a caretaker committee should be set up.

“We are appalled that over three weeks after our demand, the illegal executive committee has not been dissolved. As a result of this inaction, the teeming membership of the party in Delta State has become angry, disillusioned and restive.

“We are even more shocked and bewildered that the illegal exco of Abia and Ogun States have been dissolved by your National Working Committee. The intriguing question is ‘why the delay in the dissolution of the illegal exco?’

“The purpose of today’s peaceful protest by us is to highlight our grievances and appeal once again through this medium that the PDP National working Committee (NWC) under your leadership should immediately, in the interest of peace in our state, dissolve the illegal Peter Nwaoboshi led executive committee and immediately set up a caretaker committee in its place.”

The Delta State PDP Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum who led the protest said they were at the secretariat to air their grievances and appeal to the NWC to dissolve the Delta State executive of the party and set up a caretaker committee in its place.

Their demand for the immediate dissolution of the Delta exco may not be unconnected to the forthcoming primaries of the party and the fear that most of them who are members of a faction opposed to the state governor may not secure the party’s ticket for next election.

The letter was jointly signed on behalf of Delta State Elders and Leaders Forum by Chief G.O. Ogbetuo, Dr. B. K. Adasen, Olorogun Atuyota Ejughemre, Chief Chris Obiumevbi’ Barr. S.O. Efenudu, Sir Eddy Akangbou, Dr. Richard Tosanwumi, Dr. Paul Oruma, Col. G.A. Eboma (rtd), Dr. P. Nwamu, Barr. Alex Ikpeazu and Engineer Ugbo_Ben Emeni.