Following allegations of sharp practices against some leaders of the party in the state and Abuja, mass resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was recorded in Anambra State on Thursday.
There were allegations of sharp practices allegedly perpetrated in the party by named persons working in concert with some members of the national leadership of the party in Abuja, especially as it affects the party’s 3-man delegate congresses.
As a consequence, senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly aspirants on the party’s platform who were displeased with the alleged shady deals in it withdrew from the contest.
Also, some aspirants in that cadre resigned their party membership, just as many party members in the state dumped it and moved on.
Some of the aspirants who withdrew from the race are Chief Valentine Ozigbo, the 2021 governorship candidate of the party, who was contesting the Anambra South Senatorial seat, and Dr Tony Nwoye, who was contesting the Anambra North Senatorial seat.
For the House of Representatives, the aspirants are Dr Harry Oranezi (Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo), Dr Obiora Chira (Oyi/Ayamelum) and Idu Emeka (Onitsha North and South).
House of Representatives aspirants who went further to resign from the party are Chief Andrew Azike (Aguata), George Ozodinobi (Dunukofia, Njikoka and Anaocha), and Valentine Ayika, a former member of the House of Assembly and Representatives for Dunukofia, Njikoka and Anaocha.
Lady Juliet Anaeme, who was contesting the House of Assembly seat for Ekwusigo Constituency, withdrew from the race and also resigned her membership of the party.
This came less than 48 hours after the former governor of the state, Mr Peter Obi, who was also a presidential aspirant on the platform of the party for the 2023 election, dumped the party and moved on.
Obi, who is currently enjoying massive followership across the country and beyond, announced his exit from the party for some reasons which are already in the public domain.
Ozigbo, in his withdrawal letter to the national chairman of the party, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, said: “I refuse to dignify the rot of the process by participating in the Anambra South Senatorial Primary. Evil comes in many colours. In PDP Anambra, its primary colour is crimson (surname withheld). The secondary colours are in the National Working Committee of the party that enabled him and his cohorts.
“I am afraid that the entire process leading up to preparing the PDP Anambra Chapter for the primary is fundamentally flawed, and I will not dignify this mockery of due process and blatant disregard for decency with my continued participation.”
Tony Nwoye and others wrote, “It is repugnant to equity, natural justice and fair play to allow your favoured Senatorial aspirants to nominate all the electoral panels and appeal panels who will keep original result sheets at Abuja and come to Anambra State with photocopies and no reprimand from your leadership against such an ignoble practice till date.”
