Nigeria’s major opposition party, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied rumours making the rounds that another governor from the Southeast was making moves to leave the party, Njenje Media News reports.
Mr Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman of the party in the South East made this known on Monday in Awka, during a stakeholders meeting of the party, asking members to discountenance the rumour.
In his words;
,“Anambra is fully a PDP state, with two senators and six House of Representatives members from the state, you will know that Anambra is a PDP state.
“Enugu is PDP, Abia is fully PDP too. You may have heard one rumour or the other, that a governor from the zone is planning to leave, but it is not true. No governor is leaving the PDP. We all know what happened in Ebonyi and we are happy that the governor there left, we are not feeling any void at all, the state still remains a PDP state,” he said.
Meanwhile, the party has ordered all its members in the state to immediately withdraw all pending court cases instituted by them against the party.
The National Vice Chairman of the party in the Southeast gave the order while addressing stakeholders of the party in Awka.
He said the aim was to ensure that the party went into the forthcoming 2021 governorship election as a united house, devoid of any division.
“We are calling on all of you here and the ones that are not here to go and withdraw all your cases in court and let’s come home and resolve whatever difference we have. We may not all agree with ourselves, but because of the interest of the party, we must ensure that we work together.
“I am happy with the level of maturity among the contestants. We will bring people to learn from what you are doing here. Save for misunderstanding, no state is more PDP than Anambra. A pioneer founder is from here, and I know that PDP will get to the government house again.
“If we work hard, we will be in the government house next year. I am very confident about this. It is simple. We want to bring transparency in the primary election processes. The process must be free and fair. We know that if the process is transparent, contestants will not work against the party during the election.
“The world knows, Anambra people are rich, but at this level, the money is not the attraction. The attraction is beating my chest and saying that PDP has a governor in Anambra. Please do not give us money to influence the primary election for yourselves.
“We are not delegates here, and our members don’t have votes here, and so we can not help you. We rather urge you to spend your money wisely. If you give money to anyone, in Abuja or Aso Rock to influence the primary election for yourself, it is a dash.”
He called on the aspirants to channel their resources to wooing delegates in the state as they are the ones that will elect a candidate for the party in the forthcoming election.
“Everyone of you is fit and capable of governing Anambra. I know Anambra well, I have conducted elections here, and most of you are my friends, but for now, I renounce my friendship with you. I get a lot of messages from you (aspirants), but let me tell you that the delegates will help you more than I will.
“I am happy with the level of maturity among the contestants. We will bring people to come and learn from what you are doing here.”
The former vice presidential candidate of the party in the 2019 general election, Mr Peter Obi charged the aspirants to go into the field and convince electorates, instead of fighting among themselves.
“None of you aspirants are contesting elections against each other, the man you are contesting against is Willie Obiano. You must do all to go out and canvass for votes.
The meeting was attended by the state chairman of the party, Ndubuisi Nwobu, Senator Ben Obi, and major stakeholders of the party, including most of the governorship aspirants of the party.
