By Ogbonna Casmir
Ahead of the May 14, Zonal Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the South-East chapter of the party yesterday shared offices among its five states.
Loading ...Rising from its Zonal Executive Committee meeting in Enugu, the party specifically zoned the position of National Organising Secretary to Abia state, while the positions of National Youth Leader, Deputy National Financial Secretary and National Vice chairman to Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi states respectively.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting which was attended by National Vice chairman, South-east, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd) the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Members of the National and State Assemblies and the Deputy National Secretary of the party, Onwe S. Onwe among others, the Zonal Secretary of the party, Casmir Ugwu said the five states got National Ex-officio each, except Anambra that got two.
For Zonal positions, Ugwu said Abia got Zonal Youth leader, legal adviser and Anambra got Zonal Woman leader, treasurer, while Ebonyi got the auditor. Enugu on its part got the Zonal secretary and zonal financial secretary, while Imo state got Zonal Organising Secretary and zonal publicity secretary. Each of the states also got Zonal Ex-Officio positions.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the party’s National Vice chairman in the zone, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd) said the zone was prepared for the elective zonal congress slated for May 14 having exhausted its four-year tenure.
He said the Zonal Executive Committee performed creditably well in its functions in the past four years by working hard and sustaining the party’s near dominance in the zone as it not only retained control of Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states but also produced majority of the National Assembly members in Anambra and Imo states.
Commending the governors and members of the National and State Assemblies in the zone for their efforts in delivering democracy dividends despite the present national economic challenges, he observed that the already concluded wards and local government congresses were largely successful across the states.
He said the zoning of party offices was aimed at achieving a hitch-free elective congress at the zonal level in line with principles of equity, Justice and fairness as enshrined in the party’s constitution.
On his part, the Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu said the zoning of the party’s offices ahead of the zonal and national convention was an indication that the south-east zone had matured.
He appealed to party members across the five states in the zone to equally ensure a hitch-free exercise in the choice of candidates to fill the respective positions by avoiding rancour and bitterness in the election process.
