Imo PDP holds parallel congress, elects new officials

Former Governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa and other top shots yesterday at the Kanu Nwankwo Sports Centre, Aladinma in Owerri dissolved the State Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and voted to elect officials to represent the party.
Meanwhile, PDP's governorship candidate for Lagos State in the 2015 election, Chief Jimi Agbaje who attended, promised to turn around the party if elected the National Chairman of the party.
Delegates arrived as early as 8am to vote new people to oversee the about 30 positions in the State Working Committee of the Ahmed Makarfi faction.
The Congress Committee Chairman, Hon Austin Opara who supervised the exercise said PDP is one big family and advised the delegates to elect people who will represent the party well.
According to the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Imo State is a PDP State but regretted that internal bickerings made the party lose the ticket.
Opara enjoined the aspirants to have good sportsmanship adding that anyone who loses should accept it in good faith and continue to work for the party's progress.
Party stalwarts including Board of Trustee member, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Honourables Jerry Alagbaoso representing Orlu federal constituency; Bead Eke representing Ngor Okpala/Aboh Mbaise federal constituency; and Jones Onyerieri representing Nkwerre/Isu/Nwangele/Njaba federal constituency were all in attendance and cast their votes.
The Head of Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prince Asade Adelami led the team of monitors.
Former Governorship aspirant, Prof Jude Njoku, former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO); former Imo Health Commissioner, Dr Vin Udokwu; and others were all in attendance.
As at press time, voting was still in progress and collation was still yet to begin.