Life seems to have been returning gradually, and party activities take place in Imo State among the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This was after the event of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, which tore the party almost apart and created bad blood elements from the National Working Committee to some of the state chapters to which the Imo State chapter of PDP was not left out of the convulsive feuds.
But after the 2023 elections, the PDP was even divided more to the extent that the G-5 Governors led by the FCT Minister and a former Governor of Rivers State, remain unreachable with their controlled fashions across the 36 States and FCT, while the former Vice-president of the country and the 2023 Presidential flag bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s line up were equally swayed to controlling the structure.
The trouble in Imo State came to a boiling point when the immediate past Governor of Imo, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who was tipped to be a major contender in the 2023 November governorship race, shockingly withdrew, which led to a larger number of followers of Emeka Ihedioha under the “Rebuild Imo Movement,” leaving the party in a gale of resignations. This decision was allegedly said to have given Senate Samuel Anyanwu, the PDP National Secretary, a head start into the race, amongst others, and he would later emerge as the 2027 governorship candidate of the Party along with Senator Jones Onyeoriri as running mate.
To fill up the vacant positions, and according to the directives of the National Working Committee led by the Acting Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagun that Ward, LGA, and State Congresses should be conducted in States where their tenure has elapsed, starting with the constitution of State Caretaker Chairman across the affected.
Imo, under the leadership of Senate Samuel Anyanwu, Mr. Chidi Dike has the mandate of running the party and with his committee members until duly elected party officers emerge.
The stage was set as the State Caretaker Committee Chairman, around June 2024, announced the dates of Ward, LGA, and State congresses of the party.
According to the timetable, the Ward Congress was held on July 27, 2023, while the LGA and State Congresses were held around 10 and 31 August, respectively.
The outcome of these congresses produced the new State Working Committee (SWC), Imo State PDP under Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, State Chairman, Hon. Gerald Ogoko, Secretary, Hon. Chidi Agbasi Deputy Chairman, Mr.Felix Nwosu, Organizing Secretary, Mr. Lancelot Obiaku, Publicity Secretary, Treasurer, Godstime Ozigbo, Youth leader, Ndubueze Eburuaja, Women Leader, Lolo Edith Nwachi, Auditor, Damian Ogu, Legal Adviser, Barr Beneth Amakamara, Financial Secretary, Hon. Ugorji Onuegbu, Vice Chairman (Owerri Zone), Hon. Godfrey Ihentuge; Vice Chairman (Orlu Zone), Hon. Carl Nwokoma and Vice Chairman (Okigwe Zone), Chief Chuks Ajaelu.
In consolidating the achievements made after the huge successes of the congresses, the State Chairman, Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, convened a meeting on the 10th of September, 2024 at the PDP Imo State Party Secretariat at 98 Okigwe Road, Owerri, Imo State where he reiterate his decision to run an all-inclusive administration with far-reaching Oliver branch trees to accommodate people to build a formidable force that can rise power from the misguided and maladministration of the APC government under Senator Hope Uzodimma. He further said that unlike before, Imo State has not been in this messy state when the PDP was in power, so as the bride of the State, having a united and formidable force would help the Party to take over Douglas House in 2027 and that calls for all of us to forgive and come together and work as one big family- we must reconcile.
Hon. Austin right away, constituted and inaugurated a 13-man Reconciliation Committee with the mandate of touring the LGAs to look at issues of aggrieved members of the party and find ways to reconcile.
In his acceptance remarks, the Chairman of the State Reconciliation Committee, Hon. Ben Duru, promised the party to do his best in line with the terms and references of the assignment given to his team to produce positive results. He also acknowledged that disagreement and ambition are some of the characteristics of a big family as we have in the PDP, but the difference is the internal dispute resolution mechanism, which he pledged before the State Working Committee of the PDP that his team is going the work with a positive mindset and are going to win more members into the PDP fold.
” In politics and even in other sectors of life, it is important to be optimistic that if you didn’t win today, tomorrow may be your turn to win even better positions. PDP is a big family. The committee is not going to sleep until we do a thorough job and submit our report to the party at record time,” Duru said.
Other members of the inaugurated reconciliation committee were:
- Barr. Uche Igbokwe — Secretary
- Hon. Esther Aguwamba — Member
- Barr. Nnenna Aladum — Member
- Dr. Nnamdi Nsorom — Member
- Dr. Emeka Onyema — Member
- Hon. Cliff Ahuakaa — Member
- Chief Chris Chinedu — Member
- Arch. Paul Amadi — Member
- Engr. Batho Nkpolulu — Member
- Hon. Mike Iheanetu — Member
- Mrs. Stella Chukwu — Member
- Mrs. Charity Obilor — Member
Some of the PDP stalwarts who attended the inauguration were peopled by the members of the State Working Committee including the State Chairman, Hon. Austine Nwachukwu; Deputy Chairman, Hon. Chidi Agbasi; Secretary, Hon. Gerald Ogoko; Organizing Secretary, Hon. Felix Nwosu; Treasurer, Hon. Godstime Ozigbo; Legal Adviser, Barr. Beneath Amukamara; Publicity Secretary, Lancelot Obiaku; Women Leader, Lolo Edith Nwachi; Youth Leader, Hon. Ndubueze Eburuaja; Vice Chairman (Owerri), Hon. Geoffrey Ihentuge; Vice Chairman (Okigwe), Amb. Chuks Ajaelu.
