By Charles Igbo
The Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, has issued queries to a number of its high profile members. Those queried are members of the Party’s Elders Council, including its Chairman, Sir Ambrose Ejiogu, whose son, Philip, a member of the Imo State House of Assembly, representing Owerri North State Constituency, was defeated at the just concluded General Elections.
Sir Ejiogu succeeded Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as the Chairman of the Party’s Elders Council when Iwuanyanwu was literally heckled out for, allegedly, associating with the State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma. It is the same allegation that is being leveled against the just queried members.
Iwuanyanwu, 80, has since, according to him, quit partisan politics and is currently, the newly appointed President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
Those queried with Sir Ejiogu, in the letter dated 25th April, and signed by the State Secretary of the Party, Hon.(Nze) Ray Emeana, include: Eze Duruiheoma, SAN, Sir Peter Mgbenwaelu and Chief Osita Nwaneri. This medium gathered that a couple of others are likely to follow soon.
The allegation against the Elders is that they were present at the meeting of the Imo Elders Forum, recently, held at the Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu Square, and participated in the process where Governor Uzodinma was endorsed for a second term in office.
Even though the Imo State Elders Council, headed by His Royal Highness, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, was set up as a non-partisan organization, the PDP, has always seen it as pro- Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress.
At its last meeting, the Council presented the Imo Charter of Equity to the Governor. It provides the rotation of the office of the Governor among the three Senatorial Zones of Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe, for a period of eight years each.
Uzodinma, the incumbent Governor is from Orlu, and was, therefore, endorsed by the members for a second term in office. After Uzodinma (Orlu) the Council said Owerri would take the next slot for eight years.
But it is a Charter that has not gone down well with a number of people, especially, members of the PDP, a Party which Governorship Candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, (Samdaddy), is from Owerri Zone. The Labour Party which Candidate is Chief Athan Achonu, from Okigwe Zone, has also rubbished the Charter and the endorsement of Uzodinma for a second term.
Said the PDP in the query in which the recipients were given a period of one week, to explain why they participated in such a meeting where Uzodinma was endorsed for a second term in office, it is an embarrassment.
The copy addressed to Sir Ejiogu, which this medium saw, titled ENDORSEMENT OF SENATOR HOPE UZODINMA, THE CANDIDATE OF APC: REQUEST FOR EXPLANATION, reads:
“It has come to the attention of the State Working Committee (SWC), that you, Sir Ambrose Ejiogu, Chairman of the Elders Committee of the Party (PDP), was invited, attended and participated in the meeting held at the Ndubuisi Kanu Square, wherein Senator Hope Uzodinma was endorsed for a second term.
“Imo State Elders Council is an organisation which is established by the APC Government of Imo State to champion the cause of the State Government and APC.
“This is most surprising, having regard that you just, recently, (alongside other Party Elders and members) participated in the State Primaries/Congress, leading to the election of the Party Candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, for the Governorship contest of the State.
“The purported endorsement has been widely published by mainstream National and State Media, including Online platforms.
“These embarrassing publications have been given more impetus, having regard to your position in the Party as the Chairman of the Elders Committee whose function as provided in Section 23 (3) of the Party Constitution is to ensure high standard of morality and integrity in all the activities of the Party in the State.”
“You are, therefore, requested by the State Working Committee (SWC), to explain to the Party, within one week of receipt of this letter, why disciplinary action should not be taken against you as in accordance with the Party’s Constitution and the prescribed santions.”
Opinion is that the members may be suspended or even expelled from the Party. But many say it may not be easy as they have a cordial relationship with Anyanwu, especially with Anyanwu’s running mate, Dr Jones Onyereri.
You would recall that these Elders were heavily criticised and, also called names by some members of the Party, for visiting Onyereri to show solidarity when the Supreme Court sacked him as the Party’s Senatorial Candidate for Orlu Zone.
Recall, also, that for months, these Elders have mostly been in the bad books of some members of the Party, especially, those loyal to former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, who shocked not a few people by withdrawing from the Governorship race, thus left Anyanwu as the sole candidate of the Party.
Many are of the opinion that the Elders committed no grievous offence by attending the meeting of the Imo State Elders Council, and were not expected to stand up at the meeting and disagree with the decision to endorse the Governor for a second term in office. Said one PDP member:
“The Imo Elders Council is bipartisan, even the Clergy are members. PDP can only penalize its members, in the instant case, if they start campaigning for Uzodinma instead of Anyanwu. They cannot be held responsible for a collective decision which they may not have contributed to, except being present. The PDP should wake up and reconcile members instead of aggravating an already bad situation”
