Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwermadu (r) with Senator Ayogu Eze
Despite the peace agreement between the two major political actors- Governor Sullivan Chime and Senator Ike Ekweremmadu – in the hitherto smouldering crisis in Enugu State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ayogu Eze has continued to forge ahead in his bid to win the governorship ticket of the party in the state.
A source with 100 per cent reliability told The Rainbow that Senator Eze’s group had organised parallel congresses to the ones put together by the leadership of the party in the state both for the state assembly and House of Representatives candidates.
While the leadership loyal to Governor Sullivan Chime met to chose by consensus those who will fly the flag of the party in the various positions in different constituencies across the state, Eze’s group banking on the results of the alleged ward congresses held in the state on November 1,2015 have held their own congresses too sometimes in places far away of the headquarters of the party in the areas.
For instance, The Rainbow was informed that Eze’s group held their House of Representatives congress in Umu-Agbedo Agu,in Amachalla community of Enugu Ezike, some 20 kilometres from the town centre.
It will be recalled that the Enugu State chapter of the party conducted ward congresses on Saturday November 1, to elect three-man delegates from each of the 260 wards in the State.The delegates would participate in the forthcoming House of Assembly, National Assembly and Governorship primaries.
The congress held amidst confusion thrown up by the sudden resignation of Vita Abba as chairman of the party to constest for a House of Representatives ticket of his party in his local government. This created a sudden lacuna which was swiftly exploited by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and majority of the National Assembly members, who fronted an alternate leadership in the person of David Ajah.
While the chime group, which have 12 out of 14 State Working Committee members, would not have anything to do with Ajah, the national leadership of the party in a curious move recognised and were dealing with Ajah.
Chime and his mainstream team boycotted the congress, but it afforded the Ekweremadu, Eze and other members of the National Assembly to instrument to fight back against the governor who through the leadership of the party in the state had barred those who had been in the same office for more than two terms from re-contesting.
The two parties were already slugging out in the court with no immediate respite especially for the Chime group who were being frustrated by the antics of thee leadership of the party which appeared to be colluding with Ekweremadu and his allies.
At a point, it was speculated that the Chime group who were obviously disenchanted with the antics of some members of the national leadership of the party threatened to dump the party for APGA if they were pressed to the wall.
Through the intervention President Goodluck Jonathan and some key political figures in the state, Chime and Ekweremadu have resolved their conflict, with the state governor conceding to drop his senatorial ambition to enable the Ekweremadu return to the hallowed chamber. The governor on his part will produce most of the party’s key candidates, including the flag bearer in the governorship election.
Chime had been gearing up to battle the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, over the seat of the Enugu West Senatorial Zone. The governor had already been screened by the PDP Party senatorial election primaries by the party’s screening committee.
But Senator Eze, who initially was thought to be in alliance with Ekweremadu, appears to be not in the picture of the agreement reached by the two main gladiators.
And he is prepared to apply the missile which they had procured together – result of the ward congress – to press on his on battle.
While the governor and the mainstream leadership of the party have forged ahead oblivious of Eze, the rank senator has been playing his own game close to his chest. The group it was learnt had been submitting their own lists to the PDP headquarters just as the mainstream group is doing.
According to sources within his group, the senator has been assuring his faithful that the tide will flow their way ultimately.
He is said to have told his group that what counts before the party is the delegate and not position or whatever else Chime and his group is claiming to have, and that “unfortunately for Chime hi people have no delegate.”
Punch reports that the his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, confirmed the development on Friday.
Our attempt to speak to Senator Eze proved abortive.
But Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chime, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, confirmed in a report the agreement between his boss and Ekwereemadu.
He said that as a result of that agreement, the governor won’t be going against Ekweremadu in the nomination match up that had promised to be the political battle of the year.
