On Sunday, seven members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s State Working Committee (SWC) in Imo State resigned.
They also announced the termination of their party memberships.
Collins Opurozor, Imo PDP publicity secretary, told legislators at the party’s secretariat in Owerri, the state capital, that November 11 governorship candidate Samuel Anyanwu does not have what it takes to govern the state.
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He stated that the party’s secretary, Ray Emeana, youth leader Greg Nwadike, deputy Imo PDP chairman Martin Ejiogu, woman leader Maria Mbakwe, state treasurer Josiah Eze, and Chibuisi Obido, State Vice Chairman, Orlu Zone, had all resigned and abandoned the party.
Everyone present at the briefing spoke separately and agreed with Opurozor’s statement.
He, however, refused to say which party they would be joining, saying that would be done later.
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“Since 2020, when this Working Committee took over the administrative cockpit of the PDP in Imo State, we have evolved a tradition of being forthright with you as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm about all issues that trouble our dear State,” Opurozor said. Through such interactions, we have instilled hope in a better Imo realised through good governance and democratic norms.
“Unfortunately, today is not the day for such engagements. In no uncertain terms, we declare that the PDP in Imo State has been irreparably damaged by the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu (Samdaddy), and that the Party is finally on its way out.
“It is necessary to remind you that this Working Committee has built a very strong, formidable, and enviable PDP in Imo State over the last three years.” To enable the Party to fulfil its promise of being a truly democratic entity, we anticipated the need to expand the internal democratic space by forming nearly 5,000 chapters across the State’s polling units. We took the Party to the people, and as a result, we became Imo’s darling. Despite our limited resources, we were able to complete this task. In Nigeria, no other political party has accomplished this feat.
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“More importantly, we institutionalised an accountability culture in party administration and demonstrated a willingness to govern and reform Imo.”
“However, since becoming the Party’s National Secretary, Senator Anyanwu has never stopped using his office’s powers to fight members of this Working Committee and intimidate ordinary Party members.” Endless strife, mindless wars, and the eroding of all democratic values and principles have defined and defiled the Imo PDP.
“Day after day, Senator Anyanwu continues to sponsor his few loyalists in preparing puerile petitions against us and flooding the Party’s National Secretariat with such inquiries.” On the basis of those ruses, he has continued to threaten to dissolve the party in Imo State, despite our Supreme Court victory. Samdadday’s destructive agenda has remained unabated and unabated.
“It is heartbreaking to inform you that several members of the State Working Committee have narrowly escaped assassination attempts as a result of the wicked lies that our National Secretary sold to his violent supporters, claiming that we misappropriated Party funds.”
“Yet, it was he, Senator Anyanwu, who sent his aides from Abuja to steal the materials for the Party’s congresses last year, resulting in a stalemate that gulped all our resources through multiple and contentious exercises and the appeasement of multiple stakeholders in order to save the Party from not fielding candidates for the 2023 elections.”
“When Senator Anyanwu eventually succeeded in crowning himself the Party’s governorship candidate, he convened a meeting of all the LGA Youth Leaders at his residence in Owerri and openly admitted to them that the State Working Committee had lied to them about financial mismanagement in the Party.”
“He also apologised to the State Youth Leader for the attacks and elimination attempts he had endured as a result of the lies he (Samdadday) had spread.” During the only meeting he has had with us as SWC members since his election as governorship candidate, he also recanted the lies and repeated the apologies. He claimed that all of the lies he spread about us were the result of his struggle for survival.
“Everyone on the State Working Committee is a credible individual who has made a name for themselves in their respective fields.” How could Senator Anyanwu’s fight for individual survival destroy our reputation, as well as the Party we have built? The implication is that if he is allowed to govern Imo State by mistake, he will further devastate our beloved state in order to ensure his personal survival!
“Last Saturday, armed thugs led by Senator Anyanwu stormed the Party Secretariat and attacked us.” They smashed all the glasses, beat our security guards to a pulp, broke into our offices, and looted everything they could find. This latest attack was the most audacious and daring attempt to destroy us. The so-called function that Senator Anyanwu claims brought him and his thugs to the Party Secretariat was completely unknown to us as SWC members.
“When the State Chairman, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, attempted to bring the police to investigate the attack, Senator Anyanwu opposed it.” Isn’t that shocking? How can a man who claims to want to make Imo safe again be caught aiding and abetting acts of violence and insecurity even against members of his own party? There is clearly a risk! On the mountain, there is fire! Run, run, run!! Run!!! We must now flee in order to survive!
“Despite our Party’s electoral vigour, creativity, and resources, we made a very poor showing in the 2023 general elections simply because Senator Anyanwu directed his loyalists to mobilise and work against the Party and our candidates at all levels in the State.”
“As a responsible Working Committee, we had ignored all of these provocations and moved forward with the formation of a reconciliation committee ahead of the governorship election.” However, our throngs of members across the state who were deeply hurt by Senator Anyanwu’s actions have appeared before the reconciliation committee and stated that allowing Senator Anyanwu to hold the Party’s flag is a reward for impunity and remorseless anti-party activities.
“This is why, in the aftermath of Senator Anyanwu’s election as governorship candidate, hundreds of senior members of the PDP have defected.” In a single day, four serving federal lawmakers and thousands of their supporters abandoned the Party. Those who remained have completely lost morale and are only looking to us for guidance. And now the time has come.
“How do we explain to future generations that it was under our watch that one man became National Secretary and governorship candidate, as well as choosing a deputy governorship candidate for himself?” Imo PDP has abandoned collegiality, stakeholder participation, and consultations.
“We have today opened the floodgates of resignations and defections, and in the next couple of weeks, there will be only Senator Anyanwu left in the Party.”
In response, Anyanwu stated that their resignation was not unusual in the party.
Anyanwu, speaking through his media aide, Ikenna Onuoha, said that despite accusations of misappropriation of party funds, he had decided to let them finish their term, which was about to expire.
“It is not a new thing for people to resign from their positions,” he said, adding, “the issue is that before now, members of the National Working Committee had called for their resignation, but I prevailed on them to allow them to serve out their tenure despite the allegation against them of embezzlement and misappropriation of the party’s funds.”
