Ladies and gentlemen of the press
Protocols.
Let me start by thanking you members of the fourth estate for your commitment in the course of democracy in our dear state Imo and indeed Nigeria at this trying moments of our beleaguered history.
It is a well known fact that PDP occupies the soul of the Imo electorate which has made the last gubernatorial primary election conducted in the state on the 1st of October a festering sore that has refused to leave us unless resolved to the satisfaction of the ever discerning Imo electorate.
I want to submit, very sadly too, that the impunity and manipulations that greeted the governorship primary election of the party has left many party faithful disappointed and sullen hearted as to resort to seeking remedy in the court of law to determine the real winner of the said PRIMARY election.
Majority of our party faithful in the state believe that PDP in Imo should get it right before it can face up to the challenges of not only unseating the incumbent but to deal a decisive electoral blow to other ambitious political parties that are also spoiling for the booty.
Imo state is unarguably, among the most advanced and
politically correct states in the federation and also well blessed with a multitude of political gladiators of national ranking and that makes a compelling case for us to put our house in order amid stiff political competition by other
equally acclaimed politicians from other parties ever ready to take us head on.
It is a known fact also, that the once very peaceful and stable enclave of PDP in Imo has been torn into two parallel and irreconcilable factions since the issue of whom between Distinguished Senator Samuel Anyanwu and RT. Honorable Emeka Ihedioha actually won the gubernatorial primary election.
The factionalization of PDP is no more a secret as the two divide now exist as strange bedfellows residing under the same roof and operating separate psudo excos within the subratum. As a matter of fact, our beloved party can only be said to be in disarray in the aftermath of the failed congresses and primary elections.
What first started as brazen manipulations by the Osita Chidoka led committee that supervised the conduct of the Adhoc congresses manifested very early in the day when, acting under impunity illegally disenfranchised members of the state ALGON that comprised of elected LGA chairmen and councilors who control the grass roots base of the party even when they were had valid and subsisting court order reinstating them.
The same acts of impunity and lack of due process saw to it that the Congress Committee members sent from Wadata house got compromised and hijacked by a certain powerful individual in the party who insisted in influencing the outcome of those congresses to serve his personal vested interest against the interest of the silent majority.
Respected ladies and gentlemen of the press, it is common knowledge that in the build up to the party primary elections, critical stakeholders and elders of the party counseled the NWC of PDP against any form of manipulation of the process since Imo people are known to have zero tolerance towards impunity and lack of due process in selecting candidates in the run off to general elections. But available facts show that this wise counsel
was abandoned in place of a manipulated and rigged process.
How can it be explained that a major political party like the PDP could not return a single female gender out of a total of 42 elective positions that were offered to the party members and even the few women that emerged were brazenly removed at Abuja. Again to add pepper to injury, some of the validly elected aspirants in the field that contested for house of Assembly and House of Representatives were fraudulently replaced at the Wadata House without recourse to due process.
It is a travesty and an affront to our collective sensibilities to accept the charade that took place on October 1st as validly representing an exercise in the process of internal party democracy for a great party like the PDP that should lead while others follow.
What we saw as loyal party members was in fact a subterranean move by one man parading himself as both a leader and agent of the NWC with the sole aim of shortchanging the rest of us into rubber stamping his own emergence as the legitimate winner of the grossly manipulated and flawed process.
Indeed what was being tagged as the gubernatorial primary election of PDP in Imo state is in fact a ruse and
an imposition that is totally unacceptable to the generality among the silent majority of party members.
As electioneering campaigns are starting across the country in compliance to INEC guidelines and timetable, there exists a compelling reason to hold our coalition in the beleaguered Imo PDP together from further drifting to other political locations and also to stem against further abuses since it will be utterly irresponsible of us not to create an umbrella that would canopy our interests.
Our teaming members and supporters after extensive consultations and deliberations have come up with the decision to consign our political interest within a subset of the PDP family in the state that can rightly be described as our political camp. In order to guard against
further stereotypes, prejudice and abuses being suffered by members of our coalition, it was also decided that a new platform to be known as nPDP be formed to take charge of our affairs in PDP under the able chairmanship of Dr Fabian Ihekweme, with Hon. Jerry Ogoke as his deputy, Hon. Ifeanyi Oguzie as the secretary, Chief Johnbosco Ben as spokesman, Chief Christogonus Okoro is to be the Organizing Secretary while Barrister Uche Igbokwe becomes the Legal adviser of the new outfit.
We want to further sound it loud and clear that Imo state is neither a conquered territory nor a Buffa State where manifesting emperors transverse at will. Our people will resist any attempt to foist renegades as governors to the state under any guise. We will elect our own governor come 2019 by the grace of God.
It is the intention of the nPDP in the foregoing, to put the NWC of PDP on notice to immediately commence urgent actions to redress the very issues that brought about the crisis in the party on or before the 29th of November 2018 or be prepared to manage the consequences of a pandemic drift of over 200,000 members of our coalition who are even now prepared to join Forces with other like minds in other opposition parties to foster our political future.
Our continued loyalty to our party, the PDP is not in doubt as we move in search of an accommodating and all inclusive solution to the building crisis.
Long live nPDP Imo.
Long live PDP.
Long live Imo state.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
SIGNED
DR. FABIAN IHEKWEME
CHAIRMAN nPDP IMO STATE.