The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria, on Saturday reelected the 39-member State Working Committee for a second tenure of office.
The party congress took place at the Abakaliki Township Stadium and was well attended by the party members drawn from the 13 council areas of the state.
But the three senators from Ebonyi State – Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North), Ama Nnachi (Ebonyi South) and Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central) – and a House of Representatives member, Iduma Igariwey, representing Afikpo North/South Federal Constituency – all elected on the platform of the PDP, boycotted the state congress.
Four out of five House of Representatives members elected on the platform of PDP attended and participated at the congress.
BusinessDay gathered that the absence of the three senators and the Rep member at the exercise may not be unconnected with their alleged demand for the change of all the state party executives ahead of 2023 general elections.
The state governor, David Umahi, who participated in the congress called for peace and unity in the party.
He noted that there was no reason for tension in the polity in Ebonyi State.
He invited all the National Assembly members elected under the platform of PDP for a caucus meeting on Thursday to resolve the differences and move the party forward.
“The best thing is to put your confidence in God, support the people and support the government. If you like, you can go 20 times. If your people need you, what is my own problem? I am not going to make trouble, become enemy to people,” Umahi said.
“I have nothing to fear and I must not replace myself. God will bring my successor. So, there should be no tension in Ebonyi State. We still have one year and a half to work, the other one year plus is all politics and empowerment. But we have to work first.
“There are those who are Ebonyians but not Ebonyians. There are those who think that they can bring leadership to Ebonyi State from outside. It is not so because Ebonyi has come of age. This is government of the people, for the people, by the people, to the people.
“I want to commend our National Assembly members. If anybody has angered you, please caucus leader we will have a meeting on Thursday evening, tell the other senators and Reps who are not here. I am the father of the state and we have worked together 2015, 2019. There is nothing that can divide us, whatever is any misgiving if any, let us discuss on Thursday and move forward. This is very important,” he said.
The chairman of the State Electoral Committee, Chinwe Mba, declared the former state chairman, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, and his other executives who were unopposed as duly elected to pilot the affairs of the party in the next four years.
Nwebonyi, in his speech, assured that the state executives of the party will continue to entrench internal democracy in the party.
