Anambra PDP Spits Fire over Plot to Hold ‘Kangaroo’ Congress …accuses Olisah Metuh of masterminding plot

Some stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Anambra State, has alleged plot by some members of the parties national leadership to conduct a kangaroo congress in the stata with the intention of handpicking their stooges to man the affairs of the state executive. Specifically, they accused Chief Olisa Metuh of masterminding the plot inorder to install Chief Ken Emeakayi whom they described as his stooge. This is following the announcement in Daily Sun newspaper on Thursday, 16th July, 2015 for the congress slated for 21st July.

At the press conference held at Don Ritz Hostels, Awka today, the party chieftains expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangement, disclosing that it was designed to hand in the activities of the party to one man in the state. In a statement signed by Hon. Barr (Mrs) Jessy Balonwu, Rt. Hon. Kelue Molokwu, Hon. Sir Basil Ejidike, Chief Hon. Osy Chinwuba, Hon. Ken Arinze, Dr Maduka Nwankwo, Hon. Chris Okoye, Hon. Ugo Emeh, Hon. Engr. Emma Enemuo, Chief C. C. Okadigwe, Chief Mrs Joy Igboka and Hon. Ibuchim Ezekwelu, they disagreed with the timing of the said congress.

The statement read in parts: “That we do not agree with the timing of the said congresses, especially with the ward congress for Tuesday (21/7/15), bearing in mind that the said publication was made on Thursday 16/7/15 while Friday 17th and Monday, 20th are public holidays.”

“That the said publication directed that any payment for the purchase of forms should be made through designated banks; that the banks are not working on public holidays makes it impossible for prospective aspirants to make the necessary payments and pick the forms as directed in the said publication.” “That as at this moment (Saturday), we were reliably informed that the forms are still lying at the PDP Wadata Plaza, Abuja and we strongly believe the source of our information.  That since the said publication did not disclose the nature of the congress to be held, we hereby recommend Option A4 type of congress for the ward to help grassroots mobilization for the party” it said.

The party chieftains further recommended that “a week shift in the date of the congress to give room for proper and effective planning and conduct of the congresses for the overall interest of the party in the state,” insisting that “we will resist any kangaroo congress through writing of lists and submitting same as that has been the bane of the party progress in the state.”

But speaking further, the former state publicity secretary in the state from 2006-2009, Dr Nwankwo Maduka accused Chief Olisa Metuh of masterminding the plot.

Hear him: “The actual problem in the Anambra PDP or why we have not gotten it right is because Chief OlisaMetuh who is an indigene of Anambra State and is a member of the National Working Committee feels that PDP Anambra State is a personal property. That has been the problem with PDP. I don’t want to dance around and say that it is the national leadership. There is no problem with the national chairman; there is no problem with the national secretary; there is no problem with anybody else. The problem with PDP Anambra State is Chief Olisa Metuh. Write it down that I said so. My name is Dr Nwankwo. Otherwise why would it be him that would be involved in the congress of the PDP? He signed this publication. He is the one who took form from Abuja and gave to particular set of people he wants to be the executives. One of them is Ken Emeakai. Quote me; whatever I’m saying. OlisaMetuh gave him the form. So he wants Ken Emeakai and his group to be superimposed on Anambra State. And we say no. We have made contacts with the national working committee and the organising secretary of this party whose function it is to conduct congresses and primaries claims ignorance of this. Which means Olisa Metuh himself is actually the one conducting this. I have been the state publicity secretary of PDP in Anambra State for four years. We know that there is procedure for congress. If you want to conduct congress in any state, you set up a congress committee that will be published and known; so that if there are issues with membership people will protest. It has to be published. It shouldn’t be surrounded with secrecy. We should know who the people are that are coming to Anambra to conduct election. We should know their programmes and guidelines for the election.”