By Vincent Ujumadu

Awka—CHIEFTAINS  of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State, including the three senators, members of the House of Representatives produced by the party and the newly constituted state executive committee of the party, yesterday rose in defense of the national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh and deputy senate president, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, as it concerns the ongoing crisis in the party.In a statement signed by 30 leaders of the party, the chieftains, including Senators Andy Uba,  Uche Ekwunife and Stella Oduah, members of House of Representatives, as well as all the state officials and stakeholders of the party said they would no longer watch while leaders of the party were constantly harassed.

The new state chairman of PDP, Prince Ken Emeakayi, warned those fueling the crisis and trying to intimidate Metuh and others to desist from it.
Emeakayi said: “We are saying that enough is enough. Metuh has our mandate and any further attempt to harass him and Senator Ekweremadu will be met with our collective force.

“We have the right to decide who to vote for in any election and we are proud to have voted for the PDP and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan during the last election and will do so again if the opportunity comes.”

According to Emeakayi, Nigerians were still expecting the change promised by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, regretting that rather than meet the expectations of Nigerians, the party was busy harassing and intimidating PDP members and wondered if that was the change they promised.

Ike Ekweremadu

He said that members of PDP in the state would not fold their hands to allow anybody or group of persons or political party to drag the names of Igbo leaders to the mud.

The prepared statement read by the party’s vice chairman for Anambra Central, Mr. Ken Enemuo wondered why Metuh should be accused of masterminding the alleged rigging of 2015 election in Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu and Ebonyi states, describing such allegation as false.

The statement read: “One of the sins of Chief Olisah Metuh as enumerated by the ex PDP national secretariat staff was that he has been at Wadata Plaza for the past 16 years as an officer of the party.

“We wish to remind the said staff, who admitted to have equally worked as paid staff at the PDP national secretariat for the same 16 years that, Chief Olisa Metuh is not and has never been appointed to serve the PDP at the zonal or national level. Rather he has gone through elections and was elected to serve in all the capacities he has served our great party, which goes to confirm that his people and members of PDP recognize his potentials.

“We are not unaware of the plans by the APC to employ every means to distract and discredit Chief Olisa Metuh and Senator Ike Ekweremadu in order to deny the PDP a credible voice in its new opposition role.

“We hereby pass vote of implicit confidence on our leader, Chief Olisa Metuh, and urge him to ignore the antics of the APC and continue with his good works alongside other members of the PDP National Working Committee, NWC.”

The statement urged security operatives to ensure the safety of the Metuh family since some people have made the PDP national publicity secretary a target for attack.