From Joshua Chibuzo Andrew
Loyalists of former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha have declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dead in the state.
They made the declaration at a media briefing held on Thursday in Owerri, the state capital.
Operating under the aegis of Rebuild Imo Movement, the loyalists said the exit of their principal from the party and the concomitant resignations from the party show the confidence in the leadership capacity of the former governor, whose integrity and democratic credentials endeared him to Imo people.
Chief Stanley Ekezie, who briefed the press on behalf of the Movement claimed that over 2,277 top leaders and financiers as well as 3,888 ward executives have dumped the PDP in the state following Ihedioha’s exit.
He named some of the big wigs that had left the PDP to include a former military governor, former deputy governor, former ministers, a member of the Board of Trustees, a former member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), erstwhile elected members of the House of Representatives and Chairman, PDP Elders Committee.
Ekezie who was flanked at the briefing by Barrister Kissinger Ikeokwu and Dr. Vin Udokwu observed that the PDP found it difficult to win the Imo Governorship seat after Chief Achike Udnewa had served out his second term in office.
According to him, it took an Ihedioha to rebrand the party and restore it on winning ways.
Ekezie submitted that the rebranding paid off in 2019 when Ihedioha clinched the governorship poll of the state, stressing that the party also won one senatorial seat, four out of the 10 House of Representatives seats and 13 House of Assembly seats.
According to him, the major milestone was going to be consolidated if not for the Supreme Court which gave its most controversial verdict on January 14, 2020 removing Ihedioha as governor.
Ekezie said like al things in nature, the PDP in Imo State has completed its life cycle of birth, growth and development and ultimately death.
