By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has warned that it “will not hesitate to commensurately sanction any public office seeker, who employs campaign of calumny and hate speech, while scouting for support”.

The state PDP  chairman, Chief Charles Babatunde Ezekwem, read the riot act while addressing party stakeholders in Owerri.

“The party expects all public office seekers to make their campaigns issue based. It must be devoid of calumny and hate. Any aspirant found culpable for these ills, will be commensurately disciplined in accordance with the provisions of the party’s constitution”, Ezekwem said..

It was the considered opinion of the Imo PDP boss that “for the party to make meaningful and sustainable progress in next year’s general polls, we must work as a family and do away with anything that will distort our plans and breed rancour and enmity among members, especially those seeking various elective positions.”

Continuing, Chief Ezekwem said the party has decided to rate PDP interest over and above the personal interest of any individual.

“We must remain one and indivisible family, as we collectively go into the 2019 general elections,” Ezekwem said.

He again reiterated the party’s resolve to not only give the aspirants a level playing ground to test their popularity, but must also conduct a free, fair and credible party primaries for all the elective positions,” Ezekwem added.

Vanguard recalls that the state party executive used the event to raise funds for the upkeep of the PDP

Meanwhile, the former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has assured PDP loyalists in Owerri Municipal that “if given the opportunity to serve Imo people, the state will witness unprecedented turn-around in all sectors.”

Chief Ihedioha equally promised that vocational education and moribund industries would be revived, while the rule of law would be strictly adhered to.

“Imo State is sadly lying prostrate today, in all sectors. We must get our voters cards ready. That is the weapon we need to flush out the harbingers of the excessive economic hardship we are all facing today”, Ihedioha said.