Top leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Imo State, met for the first time with former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, one year after the Supreme Court had sacked Ihedioha as Governor of the State.
Ihedioha’s ouster ended the reign of the PDP as the ruling party in Imo State.
The ex governor who has been in political solitude after his exit from power convened the meeting, coming barely few days the Supreme Court is expected to hear a suit filed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Phillip Umeadi.
Umeadi wants the nation’s apex court, to interpret how Senator Hope Uzodimma became candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC,for the 2019 governorship election after it had disqualified Uche Nwosu for dual candidacy of the APC and the Action Alliance, AA in the same guber election.
INNONEWS had exclusively reported that the matter is expected to come upt at the Supreme Court on January 11.
The meeting tagged stakeholders meeting attracted top leaders and chieftains of the party, such as the State Executive Committee (SWC), the Elders Council, elected lawmakers at the national and State levels, women leaders, and Youth leaders at all levels in the State.
Issues bodering on strengthening the party dominated proceedings, with the State party Chairman, Charles Ugwuh reeling out prospects of the party in the future.
Though several speakers spoke on ways of strengthening the party, there are feelers that the PDP in the State is keeping an eye on the Umeadi/Uzodimma case, which pertains to the 2019 governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP, winner of the guber election, which was upheld by the Election Petition Tribunal and the Appeal Court.
The Supreme Court ruled otherwise, faulting the electoral process, and declared Governor Uzodimma who had placed a distant fourth as rightful winner of the election and duly elected Governor of the State.
Analysts contend that since the Supreme Court verdict, the PDP in Imo State had been dormant, ostensibly yet to recover from the shock of the judgement of the Supreme Court.
But its Congresses which led to the emergence of fresh executives from the ward to the State levels, in addition to an impressive performance at the Okigwe senate bye election, restored hope among disillusioned members of the party whose major fear is that the party in the State, will wait for another four gruelling years before taking a shot at the seat of power in the State.
With an eye on 2023, the party will watch with bated breath the outcome of the Umeadi/Uzodimma case which is filled with political landmines.
According to a statement by Ogubundu Nwadike, spokesman of Imo PDP, he quoted former Governor Ihedioha to have said at the stakeholders meeting, that the PDP remains alive in the State and the people of the State are willing to continue to support the party.
