EDWARD NNACHI writes that the Ebonyi State Peoples Democratic Party, which plans to dislodge the All Progressives Congress government led by Governor David Umahi, is currently enmeshed in internal crises, which threaten its success in the 2023 polls
For 20 solid years, starting from the administration of the first civilian governor, Dr Sam Egwu, his successor, Chief Martin Elechi to the incumbent executive Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, the electorate in the state have voted massively for the Peoples Democratic Party, which brought the trio to the White House in Government House. The honourable members of national and state assembly were also elected on the platform of the same party.
With these years of uninterrupted transition, the PDP has become a household name.
However, in November 2020, Umahi, who was elected and re-elected through the PDP, announced his exit from the party. Other political office holders in his administration also left the party. This exit has generated unimaginable controversy.
Despite the governor’s exit, the Ebonyi PDP has fared well, until lately when it got enmeshed in various leadership tussles since it conducted its congresses in 2021 and the squabbles have lingered into the just concluded primaries with parallel candidates in almost all the positions.
In its congress of October 16, 2021, the party elected Mr Tochukwu Okorie as its chairman in a well-monitored, free, fair and harmonious exercise.
However, Silas Onu, a former Publicity Secretary, Caretaker Committee of the party, who contested the same position as Okorie, approached the court, citing irregularities at the congress that produced Okorie. The court in its judgment sacked the latter and directed the party to recognise Onu as Ebonyi State PDP Chairman.
On Monday, May 2, 2022, Onu took over the leadership of the party, having received the backing of the national leadership of the party.
To lend credence to its decision, a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Debo Ologunagba, had read partly, “The National Working Committee of the PDP after an extensive deliberation and in obedience to the Order of Court has approved the reinstatement of the dissolved Executive Committee members of our Party in Kano State.
“To this effect, the Alhaji Shehu Sagagi-led Kano State Executive as well as all Executive members of our Party at all levels in Kano State are hereby reinstated.
“Also in obedience to a similar judgment of Court, the NWC has declared Silas Onu, as the Ebonyi State PDP Chairman.”
Miffed by his sudden sack, Okorie proceeded to the Appeal Court Abuja and sought for a stay pending the determination of the substantive suit. And on May 31, 2022, the NWC of the PDP recognised Okorie as its authentic chairman in Ebonyi State.
In a letter dated May 31, 2022, addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission and signed by the National Chairman, Senator Iyochia Ayu, and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the party explained that its decision was in obedience to a judgment by the appellate court, which it said upturned the judgement of a Federal High Court that previously recognised Mr Silas Onu.
The leadership tussle that ensued and incessant issuing of press statements on directives and counter-directives from the NWC of the party and courts rulings and counter-directive rulings have deeply thrown the PDP in the state into a litany of crises, thus reducing to ‘nothingness’ a hitherto vibrant party, which once enjoyed the goodwill of Ebonyi people.
As a consequence, the party currently has what is described as ‘Ogba group’ and ‘Anyichuks group’, in the state, a situation political pundits say might jeopardise the chances of the party winning elections in Ebonyi come 2023.
This is already evident in the primary conducted by these ‘groups’ in May 28th and 29th, 2022 (although cancelled by the NWC) and the rescheduled primaries of June 5th and 6th, 2022, said to be recognised by the national leadership of the party (but was, on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, declared null and void) by a Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki.
Commenting on the development, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Chika Nwoba, acknowledged the party had crises, but observed those crises were coming from known sources.
Nwoba said the challenges ensued because people wanted to be governor and wanted to be in control of the three-man delegates list in the state.
He said, “The issues are arising because we have party members, who wanted to fly the ticket of the party, as governorship candidates. In that process, a kind of civil crisis arose and some people claimed they have authentic delegates’ list and non-authentic delegates’ list, and at the end, the court intervened and till today, we have just one recognised three-man delegates list.
“Even our national secretariat said they only have one delegates’ list, which both sides claimed to have used in the primaries. That is the issue; but we will navigate through it all.”
“And just as I told you earlier, some people claim it’s their birthright to be given the Governorship ticket of the party. The entire issue arose from the interest in governorship. Some people never wanted to listen to the party; these people felt they should do it their own way.
He accused the NWC of inconsistency, saying the organ was not helping matters in the entire scenario.
A PDP stalwart in the state, Celestine Anyigor, said the heightened move by some individuals, who he described as ‘intruders’, to hijack the party caused the ongoing crises in the party in the state.
He said, “The crises in Ebonyi State PDP started when an intruder came into the party. If an intruder comes into a place, those who are meant to be at that place will notice and there will be agitation because you (as intruder) are in the wrong place. So, people won’t be comfortable with you. Intruders are like robbers who want to rob people of their possession. That is what happened in the case of Ebonyi PDP.”
A member of the party and House of Assembly candidate in the 2023 elections, Oboke Thank-God, stated “We thank God for the maturity and wisdom deployed by the national leadership of the party, in trying to resolve these crises. Anyichuks has never been a member of the PDP. He is an APC member, even in Lagos State where he lives and does business. But we were surprised that he came and started foisting himself on the party. Where was he when Governor Umahi left the PDP and the PDP was about to collapse? Didn’t you see the haste with which the Anyichuks group conducted what it called primaries?”
A former Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP in Ebonyi State, Elder Fred Udeogu, said the party had a structure and its genuine members will not allow the structure to be hijacked by ‘strangers’ in the party.
“Forget the activities of political neophytes, who had been sent to disorganised and disorientated party faithful. But after our last meeting with the National Chairman of the party, a political guru who has all it takes to be a leader, things turned a new leaf. He was very empathetic and our leaders hearkened to what he said till date and we are together and intact, except the infinitesimal splinter group that is parading itself.”
“Officials of the NWC were here on June 5 and 6 when we conducted our primaries as directed. That primary was successful, smooth and harmonious and party members came out en masse to participate.”
A lawyer, who doubles as the Legal Adviser to Ebonyi PDP, Mudi Erhenede, attributed the ongoing crises rocking the party to entrenched and personal interests.
According to him, the party is at the verge of implosion and extinction in the state if nothing is urgently done to address the situation.
He said, “The crises rocking the PDP in Ebonyi State is quite unfortunate and pitiable, because PDP was one united family and we had enjoyed the goodwill of the teeming masses in Ebonyi State, until when recently owing to political reasons, political interests peculiar to some of our leaders, we have found ourselves where we are now.
“United we stand, divided we fall,” is the common cliche. And without mincing words, if this division continues to fester, surely our chances of winning the election in Ebonyi State will be affected. PDP is a people-oriented party and even when Governor David Umahi left, we were still enjoying the goodwill of our people. So, there is no gainsaying the fact that the division we are having will affect our chances of winning the main election in 2023. But I believe that before that time things will be sorted out and the party will come out stronger.
“The court has said it all. That the primary election of the party which took place on May 28th and 29th, 2022, was valid and legal. And that the rescheduled exercise, that took place on June 5th and 6th, was invalid and has been declared null and void.”
Also commenting on the matter, a lawyer and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Sampson Ekigbo, warned the PDP to address the issues within its ranks, saying the party might not be able to field a candidate in the 2023 governorship polls if it didn’t put its acts together.
He said, “The party is finished if not completely finished. A divided house can never win a war. Election is war-like; it requires formidability, unity and above all, good strategy. With the recent crises in the PDP, it may not have a single candidate in the 2023 ballot, unless the court timeously comes to their aid.”
“However, there is a lesson or two to learn from the crisis in PDP; it shows that the party has no good party men, but an aggregation of some self-centered individuals. Quote me anywhere! It also goes to show that money politics is not in any way nearing an end. The party is not ready to accept changes nor ready to show Nigerians the way.”
He added, “With the combined readings of the entire Section 84 of the amended electoral Act, and in particular Section 84 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022. It provided thus:
“A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act SHALL holds primaries for aspirants to all elective positions which SHALL be monitored by the Commission”.
“The commission refers to the Independent National Electoral commission.” ,,
