Politics

[JUST IN] Imo 2023: PDP Committee Members, State Exco Dump Party

Published

2 years ago

June 18, 2023

Seven members of the state Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State on Sunday morning announced their resignations from their positions.

They also announced the withdrawal of their memberships from the party.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Owerri, the state capital, Collins Opurozor who until now was the state publicity secretary of the party said that the candidate of the party for the November 11 governorship election in the state, Samuel Anyanwu, doesn’t have what it takes to govern the state.

He said himself, the secretary of the party Ray Emeana, the youth leader, Greg Nwadike, the deputy state chairman, Martin Ejiogu, the state woman leader, Maria Mbakwe, Josiah Eze, State Treasurer and Chibuisi Obido, State Vice Chairman, Orlu Zone, have resigned from their positions and equally dumped the party.

All of them who were present at the press conference spoke separately and concurred with Opurozor’s assertion.

They however refused to announce which party they were joining, adding that the next party they would join would be made known in the days to come.

Opurozor said, “Since 2020 when this Working Committee took over the administrative cockpit of the PDP in Imo State, we have evolved a tradition of being upfront with you as members of the fourth estate of the realm about all issues that trouble our dear state.

“We have, through such interactions, inspired faith in a better Imo realised through good governance and democratic norms.

“Today, unfortunately, is not for such engagements. In unequivocal terms, we announce to you that the PDP in Imo State has now been damaged beyond redemption by the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu (Samdadday), and the Party is, at last, moving irreversibly to its terminus.

“It is necessary we remind you that in the last three years, this Working Committee has built a very strong, formidable and enviable PDP in Imo State. To enable the Party to realise its promise of being a truly democratic entity, we envisioned the need to expand the internal democratic space by forming nearly five thousand chapters across all the polling units in the State. We took the Party to the people, and that made us the darling of the Imo people. We accomplished this task despite our lean resources as an opposition. No other political party has attained this feat in Nigeria.

“More so, we institutionalised the culture of accountability in party administration and demonstrated a readiness to govern and reform Imo.

“But, since Senator Anyanwu became the National Secretary of the Party, he has never relented in deploying the powers of his office to fight members of this Working Committee and intimidate even ordinary members of the Party. Endless strife, mindless wars and erosion of all democratic values and principles have now defined and defiled Imo PDP.

“Day after day, Senator Anyanwu still sponsors his very few loyalists to cook up puerile petitions against us and flood the National Secretariat of the Party with such inanities. On the basis of those contrivances, he has continued to threaten to dissolve the Party in Imo State, even after we have defeated him at the Supreme Court. Samdadday has remained unrelenting and unrepentant in his destructive agenda.

“It is heartbreaking to inform you that some of us in the State Working Committee have severally escaped assassination attempts because of the wicked lies which our National Secretary sold to his violent supporters, that we misappropriated Party funds.

“Yet, it was he, Senator Anyanwu, that sent his aides from Abuja to steal the materials for last year’s congresses of the Party, thereby creating a stalemate that gulped all our resources through multiple and controversial exercises and the appeasement of multiple stakeholders so as to save the Party from not fielding candidates for the 2023 elections.

“When Senator Anyanwu eventually succeeded at crowning himself the governorship candidate of the Party, he convened a meeting of all the LGA Youth Leaders at his residence in Owerri and confessed openly that he had lied to them about financial mismanagement in the Party by the State Working Committee.

“He also apologized to the State Youth Leader for the attacks and elimination attempts he had passed through because of the falsehoods which he (Samdadday) had propagated. He also recanted the lies and repeated the apologies during the only meeting he has had with us as members of the SWC since his emergence as a governorship candidate. He said all the falsehoods peddled against us by him were a result of his fight for survival.

“All of us in the State Working Committee are reputable people who have made their marks in their various areas of endeavour.

“How could Senator Anyanwu destroy our reputation, and also destroy the Party we have built, simply because of his fight for individual survival? The implication is that if by mistake he is allowed to govern Imo State, he will further destroy our dear State if only that would guarantee his individual survival!

“Last Saturday, armed thugs sponsored by Senator Anyanwu invaded the Party Secretariat and unleashed violence on us. They vandalized our building, smashed all the glasses, beat our security men to a pulp, broke into our offices, and looted everything they could find. This latest attack was the most brazen and audacious attempt to eliminate us. It is curious that the so-called function which Senator Anyanwu claims to have brought him and his thugs to the Party Secretariat was totally unknown to us as SWC members.

“When the State Chairman, Charles Ugwuh, made efforts to bring the police to investigate the attack, Senator Anyanwu stood against it. Is that not shocking? How can a man who says he wants to make Imo safe again be caught aiding and abetting acts of violence and insecurity even against his own Party members? There is clear danger! There is fire on the mountain! Run! Run!! Run!!! We must now run to stay alive!

“Despite the electoral vigour, creativity and resources which our Party had put into the 2023 general elections, we made a very poor showing simply because Senator Anyanwu directed his loyalists to mobilize and work against the Party and our candidates at all levels in the State.

“As a responsible Working Committee, we had overlooked all these provocations and proceeded to set up a reconciliation committee ahead of the governorship election. But our teeming members across the State who felt deeply hurt by the actions of Senator Anyanwu have appeared before the reconciliation committee and declared their position, that allowing Senator Anyanwu to hold the flag of the Party is a reward for impunity and remorseless anti-party activities.

“This is the reason that, in the aftermath of Senator Anyanwu’s emergence as governorship candidate, hundreds of senior members of the Party have dumped the PDP. Four serving Federal lawmakers also dumped the Party along with thousands of their supporters in a single day. Those who stayed back have completely lost morale, only looking up to us for direction. And the moment has come.

“How do we explain to generations yet unborn that it was under our watch that one man became the National Secretary and governorship candidate, and also single-handedly chose a deputy governorship candidate for himself? Collegiality, stakeholding and consultations have all taken flight from Imo PDP.

“When the Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha held sway as Leader of the Party, we saw a robust, vibrant, inclusive and functional political party system. Every success recorded by Imo PDP is owed to the ingenuity, resources and outstanding leadership of former Governor Ihedioha.

“Conversely, all the maladies that have lately befallen us are squarely the making of Samdadday. And the unjust imposition of Samdadday on us as a governorship candidate by the Ayu-led National Working Committee is the second most cruel occurrence in history after Cain murdered Abel.

“To be very clear, Senator Anyanwu is not running for governorship in November. If he claims to be running, it is not to our knowledge as members of the State Working Committee. The Party does not know what his program looks like. That is if he has any. Governorship campaigns have started, yet the Party does not also know if there is anything like a campaign council.

“The rent for the Party Secretariat has since expired, and the landlord has kept harassing us. Party staff have gone without salaries since Senator Anyanwu emerged as the candidate of the Party. The Party cannot afford to fuel our power generating set and even purchase stationeries for our offices. Yet, someone is parading himself as our governorship candidate. This deceit cannot be allowed to continue, and we cannot lend ourselves as tools for the deception of the Imo people. Never!

“In view of the foregoing and many other shocking discoveries which will soon be made public, we, the undersigned members of the Imo State Working Committee of the PDP, have resolved to resign our various positions in the Party and dump the Party en masse.

“We have today opened the floodgate of resignations and defections, and in the next couple of weeks, there will be only Senator Anyanwu left in the Party.”
PUNCH

Politics

Anambra guber: Soludo Raises Alarm, Alledges Plot By APC To Manipulate Election

Published

4 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the forthcoming November 8, 2025, governorship election in Anambra State.

He also warned candidates from Anambra South vying for the governorship seat against destabilizing the state’s political balance.

The governor made the allegation while speaking at a massive All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) rally held at Ekwulobia Urban Stadium on Saturday. He stated that Anambra is “too big for charlatans” and must not be distracted by what he described as impostors and unserious aspirants.

He vowed that “street urchins won’t govern a state that produced Zik, Nwafor Orizu, Ojukwu, Achebe,” as he rallied party faithful in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

Soludo dismissed as deceitful the promises made by some candidates to serve only one term, insisting that such individuals require “psychiatric evaluation.”

“Anambra doesn’t need street urchins as governor. This is the state that produced the likes of Zik of Africa, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and Prof. Chinua Achebe, among others. It is too big for charlatans,” he declared.

He further alleged that some candidates were merely using their campaigns to extort money from unsuspecting businessmen and the public. According to him, the achievements of his administration over the past four years justify his bid for a second term.

In a renewed call for peace, Soludo again offered amnesty to armed groups hiding in the forests, urging them to surrender and embrace rehabilitation or face the full weight of the law.

Visibly impressed by the turnout at the rally, the governor noted that he had not yet officially launched his campaign but was humbled by the support.

He revealed that the rally was entirely organized and funded by party members determined to see him re-elected.

The rally, which took place on August 2, 2025, endorsed Soludo for a second term in office and adopted Chief Emma Nwachukwu as APGA’s candidate for the Anambra South senatorial by-election scheduled for August 16, 2025.

It drew an impressive crowd of party loyalists, traditional rulers, community leaders, and political stakeholders.

Also in attendance were the APGA National Chairman, state and local government executives, and former Deputy Governor, Dame Virgy Etiaba.

In a show of solidarity, APGA stakeholders in Anambra South presented a N100 million donation to support the governor’s campaign. Traditional rulers in the senatorial district also honoured Soludo with the “Olu Atuegwu” chieftaincy title — a title that has already been conferred on him in Anambra North and Central, respectively.

Politics

Edo LG Poll: My Ambition Driven By Commitment To Fast-track Grassroot Development – Aspirant

Published

6 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

As local government election in Edo State draws nearer, a chairmanship position aspirant in Ovia South West Local Government Council, Kelvin Omoruyi, said he’s driven by his commitment to fast-track grassroot development in the area.

Omoruyi, who spoke on his aspiration while fielding questions from journalists in Benin, said governance at the grassroot must be felt, stressing that it remains the closest to the people.

He added that Ovia South West is endowed with agricultural potential that requires the right leadership to harness it for the benefit of the people and the state.

Omoruyi, who is vying on the platform of the All Progress Congress, APC, noted that if given the party’s ticket and eventually won the chairmanship seat, his administration will focus on peoples oriented programmes.

He lauded the developmental trajectory of Governor Monday Okpehbolo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa in setting the state on the path of progress after many years of bad and retrogressive governance.

The young entrepreneur and grass root mobilizer said his seven points agenda will focus on rehabilitation and grading of rural roads to link wards; installation of solar power, education and youth empowerment, renovation of dilapidated primary and secondary schools, agricultural and local economy, women and grassroot empowerment among others.

He said, “Basically, my mission is improving the overall well-being of our people through purposeful and value driven and people oriented programmes and project.

“Since I understand the yearnings of our people, I deem it fit to come out and offer myself for service of my people and contribute my quota.

“My blue print is to bring governance closer to the people because politics is about the grassroot. Also to make the people understand that governance is about them.

“I understand that politics is very local, and that has been my driving force for vying for the position of the Executive Chairman,” he said.

Politics

Any Politician Promising Single Term Needs Psychiatric Test – Soludo

Published

20 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has slammed politicians promising to serve only one term in office.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria said any politician pledging to serve only one term in office needs to undergo a psychiatric test.

Soludo stated this on Saturday during a political rally held in Anambra South in support of his second-term ambition.

The governor questioned the logic behind such a promise, insisting that the Nigerian Constitution allows elected public officials to serve two terms, not just one.

“How can anybody with a functioning brain say that? Do you think you’re speaking to fools?

“You come to people and say you will do only one term, any politician who says that must be sent to a psychiatric home because the person must have some mental problem,” Soludo said.

This is coming a month after Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State called for a single-term tenure of six years.

Also, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said he is willing to accept a one-term presidency in the spirit of equity and zoning.

He stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on Sunday, July 6.

The former Governor of Anambra State said four years is enough for any serious and sincere leader to make an impact.

He said, “One term is enough to establish that good governance is possible, and if they can impact negatively on us for just two years, why won’t someone achieve a lot in four years?

“It’s also to respect the gentleman’s agreement of zoning, which has been a stabilising factor even though it’s not in our constitution.

“I don’t need a day more than four years. I will show the direction of good governance. In two years, there has been maximum damage.

“Two years can change it in a good direction. People want to get up and see a president who cares and shows compassion.”