Many members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Imo State are on the edg of uncertianty as a result of the ongoing legal fireworks at the Supreme Court between the Ahmed Makarfi faction and that of Ali Modu Sherrif.
With the recognition of the Sherrif group by the Appeal Court as the authentic national executive, more powers seem to have titled towards a faction of the party in the state led by Barr Nnamdi Anyaehie and ably backed by Senator Hope Uzodinma.
The PDP in Imo State have five factions all claiming to be the authentic state executives of the party in the state.
However, the mainstream and soul of the party in the state remain with the Pro Makarfi group which has Charles Ezekwem as Chairman. Majority of PDP bigwigs in the state are loyal to the Makarfi faction.
However, the ongoing legal tussle at the Supreme Court has put party faitful at the edge with many of them awaiting the ruling of the nation’s apex court in Abuja on the matter that has torn the party to shreds.
Some of stakeholders in the party in the state have activated plans to cross over to another political party in the event the Supreme Court rule in Sherrif’s favour.
Despite continuous denial by Makarfi that there are no such plans by his faction to join another political party, some PDP members in Imo State have begun secret talks for a possible cross over to other some political parties in the state.
One of the party leaders had told this newspaper that there will be deluge of defections in the party if the Makarfi faction lose at the Supreme Court. Many of them who spoke on condition of anonymity said while they remain hopeful that the learned justices of the Supreme Court will dispense justice accordingly in the matter, they are not resting on their oars or would not want to be caught in the web of political uncertainty when the judgment comes.
This newspaper observed that Some of the party members have not been so visible following clear indications that some top party leaders in the state may head to the governing All Progressive Congress, APC after the legal tussle at the Supreme Court.
Last week, some party members expressed worry over the “ political hobnobbing “ of a prominent PDP leader in the state and a member of the Board of Trustees of the party who is now a regular visitor at the APC controlled Government House, Owerri.
The politician’s wife has been seen in company many times with the wife of the State Governor.
” This can be demoralizing and we wonder what manner of political relationship is ongoing between one of our leaders and the APC governor. This is bad politics” said Fred Okechi, a PDP stalwart in Nwangele Local Government Area/
At the local governments, political meetings of the party have significantly reduced as most of the party officials have adopted a wait and see attitude.
An intending House of Assembly aspirant in the party who spoke on condition of anonymity said that he has slowed down his ambition and has decided to watch the political scenario in the party.
Signs of a loss of confidence on one of the top political leaders in the party manifested when pro Makarfi leaders and stakeholders rejected to hold a stakeholders meeting at the Orji Glass House office of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
The meeting was later held at the private home of the House of Representatives member representing Owerri Federal Constituency, Hon Ezenwa Onyewuchi and was attended by over 3, 000 party members who chorused their faith in the PDP and the leadership of Ahmed Makarfi.