…As Anambra PDP crisis deepens

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) group in Nnewi North Local Govern­ment Area of Anambra State loyal to the member representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Hon Chris Azu­bogu and the embattled National Pub­licity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh held its local government coun­cil congress election that ended close to nightfall amidst heavy security on Thursday as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was conspicuously absent.
Although the Public Relations Of­ficer (PRO) of the party in the council area, Mr Tempest Udeze denied that it was only a group loyal to Azubogu and Metuh that participated in the con­gress election, sources at Anaedo So­cial Club premises where the congress took place insisted that other groups loyal to Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, Senator Andy Uba and Chris Uba his brother were not accommodated and allegedly held theirs separately. With that scenario, the source said that the crisis rocking the party in Anambra State remained endless.
According to Udeze, prior to the congress election, the party, with the approval of national officers, had conducted a mock election which produced candidates presented to the general house for election even as one of the party members described the exercise as being only “to fulfill all righteousness.”
At the end of the election, the out­come of which was determined by 50 delegates drawn from 10 wards in the four Nnewi quarters of Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim and Nnewichi, officiated by Chief Fidelis Okeke as chairman of a
four-man congress committee, Mr Sam Ojukwu from Nnewichi quar­ter emerged the chairman of the PDP, Nnewi North Council Area.
Other executives elected include Mr Anex Ajaero, deputy chairman; Azuka Obinwa, secretary; Okwu­chukwu Ukatu, financial secretary; Mrs Ngozika Madubuko, women leader; Tempest Udeze, publicity secretary; Ifeanyi Nwagbara, orga­nizing secretary, among others.
Mr Udeze announced that the party at the council area level had been designed to have an enlarged 32-member executive to begin to strategize for victory in all future elections in Anambra State. He said that the PDP in Anambra had re­solved to produce the next governor of Anambra State when Governor Willie Obiano finishes his four-year tenure.