Anambra 2014: PDP members caution Tukur

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is strongly fancying its chances in the next governorship polls in Anambra State. Indications are rife that the party members are anxiously looking ahead to the inauguration of a new administration in Anambra in 2014 to succeed the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). In the meantime, state PDP has told the PDP national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to be wary of those itdescribed as “briefcase politicians.” According to them, “this class of members and non-membersalike, and has no real political value or essence and therefore cannot contribute any tangible thing to the fortunes of the party in the state whatsoever.” Addressing the PDP delegates at its mid-term state congress at the Emmaus House, Awka auditorium yesterday, the state chairman, Prince Ken Emeakayi whose executive was re-elected, stated they have taken the task of re-positioning, refocusing and repackaging the party for future challenges. The chairman cautioned theparty’s national leadership to avoid the mistakes of thepast, which eroded the overwhelming popularity and successes of the party in the state and the South East. This, he noted was as aresult of listening to self-imposed elders, leaders,stakeholders, sponsors, conveners and or such high-sounding empty names who serves no proper use to the collective interest of the party. The state chairman charged all elected ward and council executives to work hard to return the party to its winning ways in the next round of elections in the state and turn the party’s fortunes around in future elections. He also urged them to disregard any form of distraction from opponents on the direction the party is going in the state, stressing that all the parties in the state are facing different challenges. According to him, “even the ruling party in the state, theAll Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the Labour Party (LP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Accord Party (AP) are all having one kind of crisis or another.” To clear the air on the legitimacy of his executive, Emeakayi said that his executive emerged when the former chairman, Chief Emma Nweze resigned on July 15, 2011. He noted that since the inauguration of the executive it has been a battle to liberate the grassroots from the hands of the ‘briefcase politicians’ who he claimed had held the party hostage. He also noted that attemptsby some politicians to discredit his executive have come to naught, adding that two separate verdicts from the court affirmed the legitimacy of his executive. According to him, “there has not been any appeal against any of the rulings and the party headquarters,the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were formally informed on the midterm ward, council and state congresses, without objection.” One of the re-elected officers, Chief Umeakuka said that all the camps and blocs currently holding consultative meetings in different places and for different people were welcomed. He admitted they everyone still agrees that the PDP remains the party to beat in the state. He said that in due course all the different political camps would collapse into the state executive to enable it give candidates from other parties a run for their money. The chairman of the congress committee and one of the founding fathers of the party, Chief Okey Muo-Aroh observed that majority of those now having a stranglehold on the party were never members of the party until recently, “but unfortunatelythey are now the regular faces in PDP offices and governments.” He charged the party’s national leadership and the members in the states to ponder on the irrelevance of the ‘briefcase politician’ and where they were when PDP lost the state Government House. Political heavyweights from the 21 councils of the state attended the congress, which was observed by the security agencies and other relevant bodies. With the PDP looking to be an early bird ahead the 2014 governorship polls, there was excitement among members who believe that the party mightthis time reclaim its tenancyof the Government House inAwka. Already some names have been linked with the governorship election. They include the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Oseloka Obaze, Professor Dora Akunyili, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, Senator Chris Ngige, Chief Willy Obianor, Senator Emma Anosike and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu. Othersare Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Senator Andy Ubah, Chief Goddy Ezeemo and Mr Akachukwu Nwamkpo.

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is strongly fancying its chances in the next governorship polls in Anambra State. Indications are rife that the party members are anxiously looking ahead to the inauguration of a new administration in Anambra in 2014 to succeed the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). In the meantime, state PDP has told the PDP national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to be wary of those itdescribed as “briefcase politicians.” According to them, “this class of members and non-membersalike, and has no real political value or essence and therefore cannot contribute any tangible thing to the fortunes of the party in the state whatsoever.” Addressing the PDP delegates at its mid-term state congress at the Emmaus House, Awka auditorium yesterday, the state chairman, Prince Ken Emeakayi whose executive was re-elected, stated they have taken the task of re-positioning, refocusing and repackaging the party for future challenges. The chairman cautioned theparty’s national leadership to avoid the mistakes of thepast, which eroded the overwhelming popularity and successes of the party in the state and the South East. This, he noted was as aresult of listening to self-imposed elders, leaders,stakeholders, sponsors, conveners and or such high-sounding empty names who serves no proper use to the collective interest of the party. The state chairman charged all elected ward and council executives to work hard to return the party to its winning ways in the next round of elections in the state and turn the party’s fortunes around in future elections. He also urged them to disregard any form of distraction from opponents on the direction the party is going in the state, stressing that all the parties in the state are facing different challenges. According to him, “even the ruling party in the state, theAll Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the Labour Party (LP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Accord Party (AP) are all having one kind of crisis or another.” To clear the air on the legitimacy of his executive, Emeakayi said that his executive emerged when the former chairman, Chief Emma Nweze resigned on July 15, 2011. He noted that since the inauguration of the executive it has been a battle to liberate the grassroots from the hands of the ‘briefcase politicians’ who he claimed had held the party hostage. He also noted that attemptsby some politicians to discredit his executive have come to naught, adding that two separate verdicts from the court affirmed the legitimacy of his executive. According to him, “there has not been any appeal against any of the rulings and the party headquarters,the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were formally informed on the midterm ward, council and state congresses, without objection.” One of the re-elected officers, Chief Umeakuka said that all the camps and blocs currently holding consultative meetings in different places and for different people were welcomed. He admitted they everyone still agrees that the PDP remains the party to beat in the state. He said that in due course all the different political camps would collapse into the state executive to enable it give candidates from other parties a run for their money. The chairman of the congress committee and one of the founding fathers of the party, Chief Okey Muo-Aroh observed that majority of those now having a stranglehold on the party were never members of the party until recently, “but unfortunatelythey are now the regular faces in PDP offices and governments.” He charged the party’s national leadership and the members in the states to ponder on the irrelevance of the ‘briefcase politician’ and where they were when PDP lost the state Government House. Political heavyweights from the 21 councils of the state attended the congress, which was observed by the security agencies and other relevant bodies. With the PDP looking to be an early bird ahead the 2014 governorship polls, there was excitement among members who believe that the party mightthis time reclaim its tenancyof the Government House inAwka. Already some names have been linked with the governorship election. They include the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Oseloka Obaze, Professor Dora Akunyili, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, Senator Chris Ngige, Chief Willy Obianor, Senator Emma Anosike and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu. Othersare Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Senator Andy Ubah, Chief Goddy Ezeemo and Mr Akachukwu Nwamkpo