The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on the National Working Committee of the party to step in and address the Saturday’s controversial ward congress so as to restore confidence in the internal democratic processes of the party.
The PDP made the call in a release issued by its State Chairman, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, at the party secretariat in Owerri on Sunday after a critical stakeholders meeting.
The opposition party said It is curious to note, that out of the 27 local government areas, result sheets displayed by the Panel were twenty-five – for 25 LGAs. While those of Ideato North and Ideato North could not be found and there was no explanation as to their disappearance.
The party said this inexplicable disappearance of the result sheets consequently raised a very serious question about the integrity of the team from our National Secretary and indicated that the process was already obviously compromised.
The release reads, “In line with the provisions of our party constitution and guidelines for the conduct of primaries, the PDP in Imo State, yesterday, April 30th, 2022 prepared and mobilized our members for congresses at the 305 electoral Wards of the state. What, however, is to be noted is that the five-man Electoral Panel for the Ward Congress, sent by the PDP National Secretary to conduct the exercise did not come with the complete result sheets. ”
The opposition party said, “This necessitated the critical stakeholders to resolve to allow the Department of State Services (DSS) in Owerri to take custody of the results since the exercise could not proceed as planned with incomplete result sheets. Till this moment, the DSS is still with the sheets for the 25 local government areas while the missing two have not yet been found.
It further said the worries which the public has expressed over this development is understandable and appropriate, too.
“This simply demonstrates the popular faith in our party and the unwavering eargeness of the people to come out en masse to vote the PDP into power in Imo next year, given the urgency to salvage the state from the barbarous clutches of maladministration, waste, insecurity, infrastructural decay and overall ruinous misrule.”