Free-for-all-fight Mars South-East PDP Congress As Ebonyi Governor’s Brother Emerges New Zonal Chair

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Saturday, May 14th, 2016

By Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The peoples Democratic party, PDP south- east zonal congress, held at the Michael Okpara square Enugu Saturday, turned rowdy, as supporters of Ebonyi state governor,Dave Umahi, and his younger brother, Austin Umahi, as well as that of one of the chairmanship candidate, Odefa Ali, engaged themselves in a free- for-All-fight.

Trouble, started when chairman of the electoral committee read out a petition submitted to his committee by Governor Umahi, against the candidacy of Ali, who was contesting the south- east vice chairmanship position of the PDP with the Ebonyi governor’s younger brother, Austin Umahi.

The Ebonyi, governor, had in the petition, prayed the electoral committee to disqualify Ali, for the election, on the ground that the (latter) did not resign from his position as the Special Assistant (SA) on security matters to he(Umahi), before joining the race, as stipulated in the PDP constitution.

AFRICAN EXAMINER reports that but for the quick intervention of security operatives, the situation would have degenerated into a bloody clash, as most of the PDP chieftains, including governors, and members of the National Assembly NASS present were already making moves to sneak out of the election venue for fear of uncertainty.

The southeast chapter of the PDP, zoned the vice chairmanship position to Ebonyi state.

However, after the intervention of some of the party leaders in the zone, including the Deputy Senate president (DSP), Ike Ekweremadu, Ali was cleared by the electoral committee to vie for the election with the junior Umahi, who in the end, polled a total of 298 votes to defeat Ali, who scored just 3 votes.

Addressing the delegates earlier, chief Ekweremadu, had reiterated his regular statement that PDP will return back to Aso Rock in 2019.

He assured that the opposition party will continue to dominate the south- east Nigeria, adding that the zone remains the root of the party, and will continue to maintain that posture.

According to him, despite the challenges associated with opposition, PDP is determined to provide a credible opposition to the ruling All progressive congress, APC.

The DSP, who called on all and sundry to always embrace peace in Nigeria, however, warned that enduring peace may elude the nation, if there is no justice, equity and fair play in the distribution of the country’s commonwealth.

In his speech, out gone national south east vice chairman of the PDP, Austin Akobundu, had thanked the party faithful, in the region, especially the governors, for their support throughout his tenure.

While urging them to extend similar cooperation to his successor,he boasted that the party will bounce back in 2019, at the federal level, as well as recapture all the five states in the zone as obtained in 1999.

The congress was graced by the three PDP governors in the zone, members of the National and state Assemblies, member of the party’s board of Trustee, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, amongst other chieftains.