…as Nwoye group boycotts exercise

By Vincent Ujumadu

Awka—THERE was large turnout of people in most wards in Anambra State yesterday as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, held the ward congress in the 326 wards of the state, the first in the series that would lead to the state congress  on Saturday.

This however came as a group of PDP members led by the governorship candidate of the party in the 2013 election in the state, Chief Tony Nwoye boycotted the exercise for allegedly not conforming with the guidelines of the party.

The five –man congress committee led by Mr. Ike Abonyi visited many venues of the ward congress, including Ward 7 Awka South, Ward 1 Dunukofia and Ward 1 Otolo Nnewi, where    the participants adopted Option A4 in electing their new leaders.

Addressing reporters at Nnewi, Abonyi said the congress was approved by the National Working Committee, NWC, of PDP, adding that there was also a three –man appeal panel on ground to entertain complaints from party members who might not be satisfied with the conduct of the exercise.

He explained that the decision to conduct the congresses was to put PDP in good standing since all the structures of the party in Anambra State had been dissolved, making Anambra not to be represented at meetings of the party.

Abonyi advised those who were aggrieved about the conduct of the exercise to avail themselves of the avenues for appeal, adding that the leadership of the party would look into such complaints dispassionately.

However, a group of PDP stakeholders from the 21 local government areas of the state met in Awka the same yesterday, saying there was nothing on ground for the congress to take place.

Nwoye, who addressed them said the stakeholders of PDP had earlier met with the national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh at his Abuja home where it was agreed that the congress should be held in September this year to make room for adequate preparation and wondered why he was in a hurry to put up an advertisement directing the conduct of the exercise immediately.

He added that as at yesterday, 98 percent of those interested in vying for offices had not collected the forms and wondered who would be voted for during the congress called by Metuh.

According to him, the NWC should give at least five working days for aspirants to collect and complete the forms if their intention was to ensure a credible congress.

He said: “We need to inform our members of the imbroglio that is about to happen in PDP in Anambra State. We had agreed with Olisa Metuh that aspirants should be given enough time to purchase forms and he was mandated to inform NWC of the plan.”