ENUGU CRISIS: MY PROBLEM WITH NWODO – CHIME

Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime has opened up on the genesis of his face off with the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) National Chairman, Dr Okwesilizie Nwodo.

In a letter addressed to the PDP National Secretary, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, dated November 9, 2010, which was made available by a Daily Sun source, the Enugu State Governor disclosed that the genesis of his problem with the PDP National Chairman was his refusal to accept the demand of the dissolution of the Executive Committee of the party and allow Nwodo  to single handedly reconstitute the said ward  executive.

The party had last Thursday dispatched a letter to the Enugu State governor warning him to stop fanning embers of discord in the state following the dissolution of the state chapter of the party. The PDP National Working Committee had in the letter pointed fingers of scorn in the direction of Governor Chime, as it alleged that he was sponsoring provocative remarks against the party National Chairman., Chime in his response, however, put the party national chairman in the dock for polarizing the PDP in Enugu to achieve personal agenda.

'In truth, the genesis of the problem in the party in Enugu State is my inability to execute Nwodo's request that I should dissolve the Executive Committee of the party in his ward and allow him to single handedly reconstitute the said Ward Executive Committee with persons who had just joined the party in his ward in utter disregard for due process and the feelings and concerns of other members of the party in his ward.

'I considered and still consider the manner by which he sought to sack existing members of the said Ward Executive Committee and replace them with new persons, immoral and entirely inconsistent with the principle of internal party democracy. I therefore felt unable to execute such request.

'If however, I erred in my decision to protect the interest of our party members and sustain due process and internal party democracy in Nwodo's ward (and indeed in our party in Enugu State), I and other stakeholders in the party in Enugu State should be pleased to receive written advice and direction on the matter from the NWC. Chime argued further in his response that it was not true that he had promised all political office holders from the state automatic ticket, as  alleged by Dr Nwodo in  his Monday  press conference in Enugu.

'There is however, no truth in this allegation, as I have consistently maintained that only persons who are qualified and elected at the appropriate party primaries in accordance with relevant guidelines in force, shall be eligible to fly the party's flag at the general election. This is more so when the primaries would be conducted under the direction and supervision of the NWC.''

While promising to cooperate with the PDP NWC, Governor Chime called for transparency in the resolution of the Enugu crisis to achieve lasting peace. 'Having said all these, I remain, as I have always been, amenable to and supportive of any effort to seek and achieve a friendly, fair, equitable and lawful resolution of the dispute between the mainstream of our party in Enugu State and a few of Nwodo's friends, who seek to defect to and hijack, the PDP in the state.'