Tension In Imo PDP, Angry Members Eye UPP, APGA, Others

There is tension in Imo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP as aggrieved members may dump the party to seek political refuge elsewhere

Their next destination may be the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA and the United Progressive Party, UPP if burning issues tearing the PDP apart are not resolved

The trouble in the party stems from the just concluded 3 man Delegates Congress which has pitched party members against each other and has raisef concern on the party’s readiness to win the forthcoming elections.

The frustrations of party members  came to a head last week when hundreds of angry youths stormed the State party secretariat along Okigwe road, Owerri where they lamented how they were shortchanged during the delegates election.

They lit bonfires which sent out billows of smoke that led tension in the State which attracted the intervention of security operatives.

Since the congress were held, the party has not known peace as accusations and counter accusations of alleged manipulations of the process continue to reign supreme.

Two governorship hopefuls are involved in a rat race to grab the party structure as a leap to clinch the governorship ticket of the party. Both camps had claimed victory in the Delegates election insisting that they are in comfortable lead.

It was observed that the Committee running the congress may have been indicted by an Appeal Committee which kicked againsg unwholesome practices that took centre stage at the congress.

In an open letter to the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus by a concerned party member, Mr. Lancelot Obiaku, in Imo State and published in a national daily, he accused the Congress Committee of compromising its responsibility ostensibly to favour a particular governorship aspirant.

He wrote “Hence, it might not be totally wrong if one should insinuate that the Committee was on a mission to destroy a rebranded PDP in Imo”

Mr.Obiaku appears to have captured the mood of hundreds of  party members who have complained of manipulations during the 3 man Delegates election.

Mr.Obiaku had further alleged that the exercise was fraudulent as names were changed as those who did not buy forms became eventual delegates. He also raised fears that the PDP in Imo State is on the verge of losing the quest to win the governorship of Imo State .

“If PDP must win the governorship seat of Imo State for the first time, a free and fair primary election must be supported” he wrote.

The tensesituation in the party has raised fears of possible decampment by aggrieved members to other political parties such as the United Progressive Party, UPP and the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.

“You may not have heard that many members, stakeholders, financiers and lovers of Imo PDP have explored the possibility of dumping the party for APGA and other parties if a governorship candidate is foisted on them this time” Mr.Obiaku wrote.

Another aggrieved party member told this newspaper on condition of anonymity that it is unfortunate that the party is yet to rid itself of those same factors that had cost it victory in the last elections, vowing to join another party such as the UPP which has continuously grown in strength in recent times.