No 3-man delegate congress held in Abia – PDP secretary
*Expresses surprise at gov’s video claims
* Says panel from Abuja yet to be formally introduced
* Warns against impunity
* Says govt house not venue for 3-man delegate election
By Steve Oko
The crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abia State is yet to be over as the party’s State Secretary, David Iro, has declared that the party had not conducted any three -man delegate election contrary to claims in some quarters.
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, was seen in a viral video, posted Wednesday night, congratulating party faithful in his Alaukwu/ Ohanze Ward 7 in Obingwa Local Government Area, for a successful three-man congress.
The party Scribe in an interview with our Wawa News Global, Friday, said the exercise ” is yet to hold”, and expressed surprise that anybody could claim it had held.
He said that both the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC; and the police had not granted the request by the party to monitor the exercise, citing the public holidays.
The Secretary explained that the panel from the national secretariat of the party could not show up on the first day the exercise was scheduled but when they later came during the Sallah holiday INEC declined the invitation to monitor the exercise due to the public holidays.
His words : ” On the first day of the congress the team from Abuja did not come. The second day when it was scheduled was a public holidays. And when we notice of congress to INEC said they were on public holidays and could not come.
” We also take our notice to police. They said the office of the Commissioner of Police was not open to receive our letter.
” Then before we went on two-day lockdown the congress did not hold. We left the party secretariat together with our Chairman.
” So, when I see people say we have held congress, I wonder where they are getting their information from. Well, all those things are rumours and speculations.
” As far as I’m concerned, as the Secretary of Abia PDP, we have not held any three- man delegate congress in Abia. “
Asked if he had seen the viral video where the Governor was commending his Ward members for a successful exercise, he admitted but said he could not rely on the said video.
” Yes I have seen the video. I’m surprised at that but what I make out of it is that it could be one of those attempts that we made that did not hold.
” There was no any INEC official there to say he witnessed it. I didn’t see any police officer there that confirmed police monitored it. That could be one of those attempts that we made that was cancelled. So, I don’t want to rely on that.”
On the speculations that materials for the exercise brought into the state from Abuja were hijacked and taken to the Government House where the results were being allegedly compiled, the Secretary also admitted he had heard it.
” I have also heard it. In fact, we were meant to converge yesterday but along the line were were asked to go back. The SWC were asked by the Chairman to come to the party office but we could not form a quorum because of the security situation and we left.
” We didn’t know why that emergency meeting was called but it didn’t hold. Later we heard the rumour that something was going on yesterday ( Wednesday).
“But we felt nothing like that should happen without the knowledge of the SWC. And the Government House is not a place where three-man delegate election should be held. I didn’t take that to heart.”
The PDP Secretary who had been the State Youth Leader for the party for four years, expressed worry over the hide and seek game surrounding the conduct of the exercise.
He warned against the re-introduction of impunity and culture of imposition in the party, s sad development, he said was capable of consuming the party.
” I have been a party man for 12 years. I was a Counselor, Council Youth Leader, State Youth Leader for four years before becoming the State Secretary. I have participated in the conduct of the successful elections including delegate elections and primaries.
” The way this one is going is giving me serious concern, and it’s This is one party I have invested my destiny and values for all these years.”
The Secretary who is a lawyer said that the party was required to make public its arrangements for the three-man delegate election.
He challenged the State Chairman of the party to come out clear and put the records clear.
” If PDP is going to conduct three-man delegate election it should be made known
In fact, the Chairman of the party should come out and say exactly what I’m saying. But as far as I’m concerned as the Secretary of the party, we have not conducted three-man delegate congress.
” I need to tell the truth in the interest of our party. If we don’t do it well, it is the same impunity that we have been crying against. We promised our people that impunity will end in our tenure. We told them that imposition will end in our tenure.
” But if we go this way, at the end of the day it will boil down to the same impunity. It means that we have no integrity. It means we have not changed. Three-man delegate election has not held in Abia. It’s not supposed to be selective.”
On the whereabouts of the members of the panel sent by the national secretariat of the party, the Secretary said no person had been formally introduced to him as a panelist from Abuja.
” I went to the Chairman’s office, I suspected that the people there were the panelists from Abuja because he had told us he was expecting people from Abuja.
” When I came in, I saw a group of people sitting down. I waited for about four minutes, everywhere was silent. There was no official introduction from anybody. I asked one of them, he said he came the appeal. Then I left”.
Asked if as the party Secretary, he did not receive any correspondence from the party’s national secretariat introducing the membership of the panel, he answered in the negative.
” Nothing like that was given to me. The people I met in Chairman’s office left when there was a protest in the secretariat. That was the last time we saw them.
” The Chairman later briefed us and said that the congress was not going to hold. At that time, all the party Local Government Chairmen and State Exco members that were supposed to be briefed and deployed for the assignment were asked to go because INEC said they were not coming.”
He insisted that PDP had not conducted its three-man delegate election in Abia despite any claims to the contrary.
” I challenge any person that said we have conducted three-man delegate congress to show proof. At the previous exercises we did it together as a team.
” The members of the panel would come, and we receive them. They will introduce themselves to us and we will discuss and tell them our preparations, and they tell us the materials with which they have come and how they intend to go about it”
” Where as these have not been done, I assume that those people may or may not be there for anything”.
A very reliable source confided in Wawa News Global that materials for the exercise were ferried in from Abuja in a private jet and taken to the Government House.
The source said that as at Wednesday night the lists were being written, alleging that the panelists had compromised.
” They are only pretending not to know what is happening. Their plan is to still hang around today and by tomorrow they will go and claim that the exercise was successful.
” Part of the game plan of the masterminds is to take photos and videos of some wards loyal to them and present them as evidence that the exercise was free and fair, but they will not succeed”.
There have been protests and counter protest trailing the exercise as so many party chieftains have cried foul over the conduct of the exercise.
Attempts to reach the Governor were not successful as his Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka did not pick calls put across to him.
The Commissioner for Information, Eze Chikamnayo could also not be accessed as his phone number was not reachable.
Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria. 
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