By Cajetan Mmuta
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anambra State Chapter on Tuesday said it will no longer be business as usual for members who left the party during the November 6, 2021 Governorship election because some carrots were thrown at them and want to return with the hope of being accorded the d same position.
The party said I stead such members would be accorded back seats to serve as a deterrent to others who take the party for a ride.
It also vowed to review the activities that led to its poor performance during the election.
Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu who read the riot act during an emergency expanded leadership meeting of the party held in Awka, the state capital.
Nwobu said the party would no longer tolerate its members leaving the party to join other political parties during the election and returning afterward, stressing that returning members would be given backseats instead, upon their return.
He noted that the party and its candidate Chief Valentine Ozigbo went into the Governorship contest with the high hope to enter Agu Awka Government House but both seen and unseen forces worked against the party’s fortunes.
The party lauded the dogged and relentless efforts of Senator Uche Ekwunife who despite losing in the Governorship primaries, put up a fiery posture towards ensuring the party’s victory yet some members chickened out of the party because carrots were thrown at them.
According to Nwobu in his welcome address, “This is an emergency expanded meeting of our party leaders. We are about 138 members comprising strong stakeholders here.”
“We went for the governorship election with high hopes. Our candidate (Chief Valentine Ozigbo), did his very best to ensure that the flag handed to him took us toth government house. At the end of the day, many factors, seen and unseen militated against his hope. Thanks to Ekwunife for working so hard, despite not being favored for the ticket of the party. She worked hard, and if everyone did the same, we would have won.”
“However, some members chickened out of our party because they were thrown carrots at. What was thrown at them is very infinitesimal to what was thrown at some of us.”
He declares that “All those who left us, don’t be surprised they will start sneaking back soon. If they come in, we will give them the backseat where they deserve it. It will be a lesson for tomorrow because if we don’t do it, people will continue in wrong acts.”
He vowed to review the Party’s performance in the November governorship election and also sanction its members who sabotaged their progress.
“We need people in the party because politics is about a number, but not for people to move in and out. We will meet out the same punishment for all, both contenders and members who left to go and make money from other parties. There must be repercussions for such acts. We hope that PDP in a very short while will be able to bounce back to power in this state.”
Senator Ben Obi in his remarks said: “Every PDP member knows that the party wins elections. Any party that doesn’t have discipline cannot win the election. We must learn to sanction erring members.”
“Today, we still have cases in court by PDP members. I will champion that those people be sanctioned. We cannot continue like this. We have bigwigs in the party, and we must strive for a united PDP.”
The party however resolved to set up a committee to review its participation in the concluded governorship election in the state, while also introducing to the party a new member of the Board of Trustees of the party, Mrs. Chinelo Mofus, and Mr. Obi Okechukwu the National Auditor of the party.
Among other top notchers of the party present at the meeting include a member of the board of trustees of the party, Senator Ben Obi, Governorship candidate of the party, Chief Valentine Ozigbo, and several others.
