By PETER OKOLIE
OWERRI- Some stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo have rejected an Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign council list constituted for the state ahead of the 2023 elections.
The party faithful expressed dissatisfaction shortly after they staged a workout from a stakeholders’ meeting of the party on Monday in Owerri.
Addressing newsmen, former chairman, Okigwe Local Government Area of the state, Mr Ngozi Ogbu said the presidential campaign council list was compiled without due consultation.
Ogbu said they were summoned for the day’s meeting to discuss the composition of the presidential campaign council and management council.
“But to our surprise and chagrin, the secretary of the party proceeded to read out a list of members of the council which led to fracas.
“Majority of the stakeholders opposed the announcement due to lack of consultation and undue imposition of members,” he said.
He claimed that the foisted list was an attempt by former Gov. Emeka Ihedioha to use the presidential council as an extension of his re-election campaign council.
Also speaking, Mr Gozie Nwachukwu, an aspirant for the Abor-Mbaise state House of Assembly at the last primaries of the party, said a petition had earlier been written to express dissatisfaction.
“When this meeting was called, we had expected that we will nominate members of the committee only for the secretary of the party to read a fictitious document naming it presidential campaign list.
“If Emeka Ihedioha wants to run for governor, he is free to do so, but to try to scrumptiously convert and camouflage a presidential campaign council to now become an Ihedioha re-election campaign council, it will not work and we reject it in clear terms,” he said.
Contributing, a gubernatorial aspirant and chieftain of the party, Mr Mike Ikoku said the imposition of the list was capable of jeopardizing the party’s lot in the state.
Ikoku urged the national leadership of the party to jettison the list for one that would depict the general interest of the majority.
However, in his reaction, the state Secretary of the party, Mr Ray Emeana said the presidential campaign council list captured the majority of the people’s interest.
Emeana said: “It is normal that when decision is taken by the party, it will not go down well with everybody.
“What is important is that we captured majority of the people’s interest and the process followed was the process that was approved by the given authority.
“The national party sent us the criteria for the presidential campaign council for every state including Imo, for selecting who becomes a member of the council.
“The guidelines say people with positions or former positions should be identified which we did and filled in their names appropriately.
“In addition, we asked every local government area to sort the names of their leaders which they did and went on to ask the candidates to make submissions which all of them did,” he said.
According to him, the National Secretary of the PDP, Sen. Samuel Anyawu was asked to make submission which he did,; the list is a product of very wide consultation.
Emeana said the list was later confirmed and signed by the director of administration of the presidential council after due consultation.
“If anybody has any grouse, such should be forwarded to the presidential council and the National Working Committee,” Emeana said. (NAN)
