Anambra PDP holds state congress, elects new executives

THE crisis rocking the Anambra State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), may have come to an end, as the party, yesterday, held a state congress to elect new executive members that will pilot the affairs of the party for the next four years.

The 30-member state executive was elected by 1630 delegates from 21 local government areas of Anambra State, in an exercise supervised by the chairman of the electoral panel, Hon. Osita Ogbu.

The election, held at the party Secretariat Ndoka, along Awka-Enugu expressway, was monitored by the Party National officers, led by Hon. Osita Ogbu, and the security agents.

The congress was, however, shunned by the party’s Acting Chairman of PDP Anambra state Caretaker Committee and Chairman of the Congress in the State, Mr Chukwudi Umeagba, who earlier announced the suspension of the exercise over alleged attempt to use fake delegate list for the poll.

Addressing party members, Chief Shedrack Anakwue, who was a former Chairman of Awka North Local Government Area, urged them to put the past challenges behind them and forge a common front ahead of 2019 general election.

After about nine hours of voting, a former State Chairman of Defunct, Action Congress of Nigeria ACN, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu, emerged as the state chairman of the party, Chief Sopuru Nwafor was elected as the deputy chairman. In the same vein, Okoli Akirika and Tony Offiah, emerged as the Secretary and Publicity Secretary respectively.

The congress also elected Hon. CC Okeke as Vice-chairman 1, Okeke Asolo as Vice-chairman 2, while Hon. Ogwuejiofor Nwakobi, emerged as Vice-chairman 3.

Speaking with journalists after the swearing-in of the new party executives, the chairman, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu, who described the Congress as successful, said his emergence would usher in a repositioned and better PDP in Anambra State.

Nwobu, who was a past President Rotary Club of Awka between 2005 and 2006, said he hoped the congress will put a permanent end to the crisis in the state chapter of PDP and promised to bring all the aggrieved party members back to the party.

“I want to thank the Almighty God that has made it possible for us to have a very successful state congress in PDP. My emergence, no doubt, will bring all aggrieved members, all those that are groused back to the party and I see this congress putting an end to problems of PDP in Anambra State.

“With my emergence, I intend to run an open government, open party administration. We intend to spread hand of fellowships to members that are aggrieved, we intend to extend a hand of goodwill to members of other parties and I don’t have any doubt in my mind, that we will put an end to the government of penny wise, pounds foolish of APGA in Anambra State. We will run an all-inclusive and a united PDP, we want to run a political administration that will encourage party members of other parties, Nwobu stated.