By Uche Aguoru
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Umuahia North have firmly declared that they have not endorsed any candidate for the position of National Ex-Officio or Zonal Ex-Officio in the forthcoming zonal congress scheduled for February. This decision was reached at an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting held at the country home of Hon. Chukwudi Apugo.
In a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the meeting, the party stakeholders emphasized their commitment to democratic principles, vowing to resist any attempts to impose a candidate on them.
The stakeholders, acknowledging ongoing efforts to rebuild and reposition the PDP for electoral victory, stressed the need for inclusivity and fairness in candidate selection. To this end, they resolved that all future nominations for appointive or elective positions must follow due consultations with stakeholders from the ward, local government, and state levels.
“The Umuahia North PDP will not accept interference from individuals or groups outside the local government in the nomination or imposition of candidates for any position, irrespective of the person’s rank or status,” the communiqué read.
The forum also distanced itself from any arrangement regarding the National Ex-Officio or Zonal Ex-Officio position/s, declaring that no candidate had been produced, nominated, or endorsed for the role. “We hereby dissociate from and reject any illegal arrangements suggesting that Umuahia North PDP has selected a candidate. Any such claim is fraudulent,” the communiqué stated.
Reiterating their commitment to democratic values, the stakeholders affirmed that they would, after proper consultations, nominate a candidate for the office/s and communicate their choice to the state leadership of the party.
Furthermore, the communiqué served as a caution to the PDP leadership at the national, zonal, and state levels, warning that any individual claiming to be a candidate from Umuahia North without proper backing from the stakeholders should be regarded as an impostor.
The resolutions were signed and adopted by the chairman and members of the Umuahia North PDP executives, ward chairmen, and party stakeholders. Copies of the communiqué have been forwarded to PDP state chairman Elder Abraham Amah, Acting National Chairman Alhaji Umar Damagun, the PDP Southeast zonal leadership, and members of the state and national working committees, as well as the Board of Trustees.
