PDP fails to hold ward congress in Enugu
The ward congress of the Peoples Democratic Party slated to hold today through out the federation did not hold in Enugu as planned. In a statement issued by Dr. Okey Eze,Publicity Secretary of PDP Enugu State Chapter on Saturday stated that no Ward congress of the Party in Enugu State has officially commenced in the State as at 4 30pm.
“The State Party Secretariat has been opened and ready for the congress since 7am today, no member of the Electoral Panel from the National Secretariat of the Party has reported to our Party Office at N0. 1 Chime Lane, G.R.A, Enugu, the venue officially designated by the National Secretariat of our Party for the commencement and coordination of all the Congresses and Party Primaries. “It is pertinent to note that the Deputy Governor of the State, His Excellency, Rev. Ralph Nwoye, the National, Zonal, State and Local Government Area Executives of the Party and all the 17 Local Government Chairmen including thousands of other Party faithful and our teeming supporters have been waiting tirelessly at the State Party Secretariat for the arrival of electoral materials from Abuja and proper commencement of the ward congress but report available to us is that the ward congress committee panel from the National Secretariat are still in Abuja. “The State Chapter wishes to state that this unfortunate development is the handiwork of those who are dangling in the euphoria of unpopularity and are bent on exploiting all undemocratic measures to scuttle the Ward congress of the Party, through mischief and manipulation of the entire process. “Our members and supporters are ever ready to participate fully in the congresses through a transparent and democratic process where every member will be given the opportunity to test his or her popularity at the polls. “We therefore alert the public and the National Leadership of our Party that no legitimate ward congresses took place in Enugu State today and any such activity to the contrary is illegal, fraudulent and must be disregarded,” the party said.
The statement further said that the State Party Leadership therefore invites the National Working Committee of our Party to take appropriate action in this regard.
Some party members who spoke with our correspondent in some wards expressed displeasure with the leadership of the party’s National Working Committee for failing to send down the election materials for the congress, as they waited in vein for the election to hold.
Some of the visited wards where the members waited for hours without the congress include Achi Uno Ward I in Oji River Local Government Area.
The story is the same at Eke Ward in Udi local government area, Owelli/Ogugu/Ugbo/Amoli Ward in Awgu local government area, Mgbidi/Mmaku Ward. Some of the member said that they came out since 7am in the morning but no congress held and they are going home in anger, after spending over 10 hours at their respective wards.