BY ENYIM ENYIM
ONITSHA—THE People’s Democratic Party, PDP, is to set up a congress committee to conduct a credible  congress for the party in Anambra State.

This followed stoppage of weekend’s congress by an  Abuja Federal High Court which restrained the PDP from conducting any congress in the state.

This came against the backdrop of confirmation by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that Senator Andy Uba and Chuma Nzeribe of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, were the only candidates cleared to participate in the repeat senatorial election today.

However, the former Chairman of PDP in the state, Mr Tony Nwonye said the national leadership of the party would conduct a congress to ensure the return of normalcy in the state chapter.

Nwoye spoke after some delegates who had gathered for botched congress were dispersed by the police.
Nwoye further said, “What we want is a true congress; a true PDP with true internal democracy.

When I was state chairman we produced 30 members of the state House of Assembly but today the reverse is the case. We want to take charge of the state and the only way to do it is to conduct a transparent congress and not for somebody to stay in his hotel room and write names of delegates.” Earlier on March 5, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Secretary Abdulahi Kaugama had notified the National Chairman of the PDP that ward and local government congresses would not hold in the state as alleged by the Udozor group.

INEC however through its Public Affairs Manager in Anambra Mrs. Nkechi Nfonk said, the congress which did not hold met all the requirements of the law.

Nfork dismissed any knowledge of a court order, noting that the commission was not aware and was never served.

An order by Justice U.P Kekemeke of the Federal High Court, Abuja dated March 14, 2012 had restrained the Udozor- led executive, its agents or privies from conducting the state congress scheduled for March 16 and 17, 2012 or any other date pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Speaking while dispersing the Udozor group from the venue of the planned congress, the police officer who led a team of his colleagues to the venue, Mr Tope Fayola said there was a court order stopping any form of meeting or congress in the state.

The new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mike Igini, stated this yesterday while answering questions from reporters.

With this INEC pronouncement, it may have put paid on counter claim of Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as the senatorial candidate of PDP in the district.

Igini noted that the endorsement of Andy Uba by the commission for the poll was based on the ruling of the court of Appeal adding “we are bound by the judgment of the appeal court and not any injunction”.

He further stated that the seven council areas had 118 wards with 1,669 polling units, adding that each polling unit would be manned by three security men.