Former Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha, withdrew from the 2023 gubernatorial race under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after a successful screening alongside the party National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, jostling for the PDP ticket in the party primary.
Mr Ihedioha in the letter cited by The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday, titled; “notification of my withdrawal from the Imo state PDP gubernatorial primaries” addressed to the party National Chairman, said he turned 58 on 24 March and had the cause to reflect on so many things, including the state of PDP, placing big premium on his membership since the 1998 formative year.
On the contrary, a group within the main opposition party, the PDP Action 2023, in a statement by its Chairman, Hon. Rufus Omeire, on Wednesday, has blamed the disrespectful treatment in the choice of a consensus candidate mete to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and governor by the national leadership of the party, causing his withdrawal.
The group blamed his untoward experience from the unfair primaries by the suspended PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyrochia Ayu, hence the need for the outright withdrawal of the former governor, arguing that his participation ennobles. The group further stressed that reopening the primary process for other credible candidates to participate is the only living hope, else, national leadership has killed PDP in the state.
According to the group, Anyanwu as a gubernatorial aspirant, has a moral and legal duty to resign his office as PDP National Secretary to avoid self-absorption, thus questioning his dual role as the serving National Secretary; the signatory to the clearance certificates issued to aspirants, and hitherto, as a contestant in the primary he supervised.
It maintained that his resignation was the only way to ensure a level playing field for all contestants. Allowing Sen. Anyanwu to supervise his election primaries cannot stand legal or moral scrutiny by any fair-minded person, citing the provisions of the PDP Constitution Section 47(5) dealing with resignation for elective office.
The group noted that the party under the watch of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu refused to do so to confer an undue advantage to any National Officer of the party, to sit tight in office and preside over primaries for which they maybe candidates. Indeed, any guideline issued by the party that omits this clause is patently unlawful and unconstitutional.
“The duties of the National Secretary are provided in S.36 of the PDP Constitution. A careful perusal shows that he has not just a supervisory role over the affairs of the party but is, infact, in charge of the implementation of most of its activities. He is, therefore a critical player in the preparations towards the selection of delegates and other processes for the Imo State Gubernatorial primaries which he is contesting.”
“Indeed, he has chosen the panel to conduct the Imo PDP Primaries 3-man delegates election. He would also likely appoint the panel that will conduct the primaries proper. It, therefore, behoves on the party in the interest of justice, equity, and fairness, which are the hallmarks of the PDP in its Constitution, to request the National Secretary to step aside by resigning his office at this time.”
“We know that Ihedioha is not desperate to serve, but Imo people deserve all her best hands to be involved in the process. The National Chairman turned a blind ear to all protestations for a fair process and Ihedioha decided not to dignify the skewed process with his participation. The shocking announcement by Ihedioha has left Imo PDP and the people of Imo State despondent and helpless.”
“The only fair thing for PDP to do at this stage is to open the process for another credible candidate to join the race in Imo State, if this is not done, Ayu would have succeeded in killing Imo PDP the way he has put PDP National on life support.”
His withdrawal, however, elicited the reaction of an elder statesman and legal luminary, Chief Mike Ahamba, who said; “If its is true that he has withdrawn from contesting the PDP primaries in Imo, it means that the state has lost something good.”
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