TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE “SIR BARR. NNAMDI ANYAEHIE LED STATE EXECUTIVE OF PDP IMO STATE CHAPTER

ON 21st October, 2017.

PROTOCOLS:

THE TRUE POSITION OF STATE LEADERSHIP OF PEOPLES

DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) IMO STATE CHAPTER.

0.1 We are not unmindful of the expectation of residents of Imo State who have so far endured over six (6) years of misgovernance under the

Okorocha Administration, that our Great Party The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Imo State ought to put her house in order quickly so as to win the 2019 gubernatorial and other elections in Imo State to salvage the situation in our beloved Imo State and truly provide the dividends of Democracy. We must also caution that the plethora of intra party disputes is not an exclusive preserve of our Great Party but is prevalent in all political parties in Nigeria even the newly registered ones that have not participated in elections before and as it were “have nothing to share”. It may well be that our nascent democracy is still passing through some teething problems as we progress in efforts to achieve a truly democratic political party regime as well as a democratic society.

0.2 We believe that without prejudice to that necessity, we must as a matter of urgency nip every domestic impediment within the party so as to be on sound legal and moral pedestal to confront our opponent political parties. We cannot go for elections with domestic enemies, saboteurs, revenge seekers, back stabbers and pseudo members who are already at the 1departure lounge waiting to board their flight to APC and BUHARI if we

lose in 2019 due to their decadent posturing.

0.3 Consequently, we are constrained on pain of the tag of “washing dirty linens in public” to bring the following indisputable facts to the public domain through the time honoured abilities of the media as the fourth estate of the realm.

0.4 It must also be recalled that the Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of Our Great Party H. E. Senator Ahmed Markafi had, following the resolution of the crisis at the National Leadership level by the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria severally restated that there shall be a “no Victor and no vanquished” policy in the affairs of the party. Also, the National Chairman had reiterated that structures of the party in various State Chapters affirmed and inaugurated by the immediate past National Executive Committee (NEC) led by H.E. Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman before May 21st 2016 National Convention shall remain in office.

0.5 In Imo State Chapter of the PDP, the position of State Chairman had been occupied by persons from Owerri Zone from 1998 to year 2010 (12yrs). Subsequently, Stakeholders under H.E. Governor Ikedi Godson Ohakim agreed to nominate a Party Chairman from Orlu Zone and Barr. Eze Duruiheoma was thus elected. His tenure was cut short when he was appointed the Chairman of the National Population Commission and Barr. Sir Nnamdi Anyaehie was nominated to complete Barr. Eze Duruiheoma’s tenure. It is unarguable that Orlu Zone has a Constitutional Right to complete the second (2nd) tenure of four (4) years as Chairman of the Party in Imo State.

0.6 The denial of this right would lead to protest and marginalization of a

Zone of Twelve (12) Local Government Areas and massive support base for the Party from election results since 1999. It was in recognition of this fact that Stakeholders in a meeting before the 2016 congresses agreed that every zone should retain the Party positions (Offices) they held during the congress that produced Barr. Eze Duruiheoma SAN in 2010. It was also at that meeting that well meaning leaders of the party from Okigwe Zone openly rejected the contrived attempt by some self-serving party leaders from Owerri Zone to donate the State Chairmanship slot to Okigwe Zone.

0.7 We must also highlight that the anger of certain influential persons against some members of the State Executive who had served on the immediate past Party administration is not unconnected with our refusal to admit receipt of the over N700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira) campaign fund released by the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s (GEJ) administration to Imo PDP which matter is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

0.8 That under the H.E. Senator Ali Modu Sheriff’s Administration, congresses of Imo State PDP were held at the Wards, LGAs and State levels and the results were approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) in its 71st meeting before the National Convention of 21st May, 2016. The State Executive Committee so approved and inaugurated in Imo State is headed by Sir Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie as State Chairman. There was never a time within the time table for Congresses in 2016 that either Barr. Charles Ezekwem or any other person was elected as State Chairman.

0.9 That the Anyaehie leadership has been administering the affairs of the

party from the State Secretariat at No 47 Okigwe Road Owerri, Imo State.

This registered office of the party has always had Party Flags and decorations since the tenure of H.E. Governor Ikedi Godson Ohakim. The leadership, stakeholders and membership have not at any time discussed or agreed to relocate the state secretariat of our Great Party to any other address. The so called “new office” is actually the personal campaign office of the Chief Promoter of the “Ezekwem group” hitherto proposed as state office of one of the newly registered political parties where the ship of this group would have berthed except for the Supreme Court judgement in favour of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC).

0.10 It is common knowledge that this group led by Chief Charles Babatunde Ezekwem was cobbled together on 08/08/16 by one man anxious to be the owner of Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State and whose angry fixation is to be an unchallenged Gubernatorial Candidate for 2019 Elections. This was long after the conclusion of the relevant Ward, LGA, Senatorial District, State and Zonal (South East) congresses of our Great Party in the country between April and May 2016.

0.11 This one sided show erroneously called “a State Congress” of 08/08/17 was because of the dispute over national leadership of our Great Party arising from the then disputed national convention held in Port Harcourt on 21/05/17 and the subsequent factionalization of the Party across the country. It was in the wake of this dichotomy that this group was put together by their “master” who albeit was a selfish supporter of one side of the disputants. It is unarguable that since then, every absurd effort has been made to legitimize this illegality to no avail including “patch patch resolutions here and there” simply because legally you cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand”. These dreamers and their master erroneously believe that they can erase the subsisting constitutional decisions of the previous national leadership.

0.12 The self same “Ezekwem group” instituted Suit No: HOW/151/17

Barr. Charles Ezekwem & 8 Ors Vs Peoples Democratic Party &

11 Ors. on 08/03/17. In this pending Suit, they sought amongst others the following reliefs;

a. “A Declaration that the Claimants are the Sole Authentic Imo

State Executives of the 1st Defendant. Having been duly elected

at the 1st Defendant’s Imo State Congress held on 08/08/16.

b. An Order restraining the 1st Defendant from recognizing,

transacting with, accrediting and/or admitting any person(s) or

any group of person(s) led by the 3rd, 10th, 11th and 12th

Defendants (including each of the Defendants) as Imo State

Executive Committee members of the 1st Defendant (SAVE the

Executive Committee members led by the 1st Claimant) during

any of the gatherings, meetings, conventions, ceremonies

and/or any event(s) of the 1st Defendant or in any other

manner howsoever.

c. An Order compelling the Defendants to recognize, accredit,

transact with and admit the Claimants as the authentic Imo

State Executives of the 1st Defendant in all her meetings,

gatherings, congresses, conventions, ceremonies and other

events of the Defendants.

d. An Order compelling the 3rd Defendant and his agents, privies,

servants and/or ever other person(s) currently in occupation/ possession of 1st Defendant’s State Secretariat at 47

Okigwe Road, Owerri, Imo State to vacate FORTWITH and

deliver up possession of same together with all the movable

and immovable properties in 3rd Defendant’s or any such

person’s possession, to the Claimants”.

0.13 Also, another Claimant to the Office of the State Chairmanship of our Great Party, Engr. Greg Owuamalam filed his own Suit How/455/2016 Hon. Engr. Greg Owuamalam & 2 Ors Vs PDP National Chairman & 7 Ors on 31/10/16 over the same issues and same is pending.

0.14 It is clear that these Claimants concede that pending determination of their cases, the Sir Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie leadership is the status quo and in peaceable possession of the State Secretariat at No. 47 Okigwe Road Owerri, Imo State.

0.15 Conclusively, the resort to self help and impunities by the “Ezekwem group” and their backers in claiming incumbency, establishing a “new state secretariat” and orchestrating laughable resolutions in their favour and purported suspension of party officials and members during the pendency of the legal action they instituted flies in the face of legality, due process and therefore is a condemnable affront on the judicial authorities. The highest authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and other Security agencies had even directed them to respect this status quo ante bellum and await the judicial determination of their litigation to no avail.

THE ROLE OF H. E. CHIEF EMEKA IHEDIOHA CON

0.16 We must recall that since the unfortunate loss of the 2015 Governorship Election in Imo State, our former Candidate WHO EMERGED IN CLEARLY CONTROVERSIAL CIRCUMSTANCES instead of being a shield for the defence of our party, has irredeemably become a sword for decapitating the solidarity, unity, peace and progress of the PDP in Imo State.

0.17 Our great party is apparently confronted with a situation where most of her members except her former Governorship Candidate appreciate the circumstances that occasioned our loss of the Governorship election albeit

after posting resounding victories in the Presidential election; 3 (three) Senatorial Districts elections and 8 (eight) out of 10 (ten) available seats of House of Representatives elections barely a fortnight before the doomed Governorship election.

0.18 We also know that a lot of our valuable stakeholders, co-governorship aspirants before the Governorship Election angrily left our party to her eventual fate on account of the politics of exclusion, intransigence and Emperor Nero tendencies of our former flag bearer who willfully neglected to make necessary sacrifices in order to carry all along.

0.19 That while we remain sympathetic to the plight of our former flag bearer in losing the 2015 Governorship election and subsequent litigation over same, we vehemently deprecate his now monotonous and ceaseless cry over spilled milk like an infant. We reject his continued unjustifiable divisive activities against our party on whose platform he had won elections thrice into the House of Representatives and served the nation as the Deputy Speaker for four years.

0.20 A situation where our Party is reduced to the butt of jokes due to the penchant of our former Governorship Candidate’s “cry cry baby” with his usual but embarrassing sing song of whining against notable leaders of our Party as his regular narrative and banter at Burial Ceremonies; Marriage Ceremonies, Community activities, Church Synod lectures and countless press interviews has become worrisome and a cause to agitate the sensibilities of reasonable members of the party and society on the faithfulness and gratitude of a lucky individual who providence had honoured with more than a fair share of the PDP cake.

0.21 It has presently gotten to a situation where this gentleman assumes the role of State Chairman, Sole Administrator and “the be all and end all” of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Imo State who decides who will be a member, how to be a member and when to be a member of our Great Party in Imo State. In a condescending manner, he has also announced that he will leave the party in 2019 and we ask WHY NOT NOW? Since the political party he wishes to join (All Progressives Congress (APC) and BUHARI) no doubt would prefer him to join them with his magic wand of winning elections before the next round of elections in Nigeria in 2019.

0.22 We are convinced that there must be a limit to this unfounded rascality, impunity and near fanatical obsession with a gubernatorial ambition. It is unarguable that this Great Party has tolerated enough of this predilection of advertising his predicament to limits beyond the paranoid.

0.23 We cannot continue adinfinitum to tolerate the deliberate attempt to swing or mislead our teeming members particularly in Owerri Senatorial District out of our Party into a new political Party simply because we sympathize with the near depressive mood of our former flag bearer.

0.24 We must reiterate that our Great Party is superior to any member despite how much influence fate may have granted him or his ambition. No member is above the party’s disciplinary mechanism no matter how grandiose selfish schemes may become.

0.25 Consequently, we wish to inform our leaders, stakeholders, officials, membership and supporters to be on guard against the divisive machinations of Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and his co-travellers led by “Ezekwem group” as we prepare to campaign with hope for the victory of our Great Party in Imo State and Nigeria come 2019 by the grace of God Almighty.

PDP, Power to the People!!!

Power to the People!!!

Signed:

Sir. Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie

State Chairman

PDP Imo State Chapter.