From Chuks Onuoha, Umuahia
ABIA State Chairman of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chidi Nwosu, said the impunity manifested by the party leadership in the state in the 2015 general election cost the party 10 seats in the state House of Assembly.
He said it was for this reason that aggrieved members of the party defected to the opposition en masse, and that the only way to rescue the party from extinction in the state was to do the right thing, which they had come to do.
Nwosu who briefed newsmen in Umuahia, alleged that those who claimed to be leading the party in the state were people assembled from the kitchen cabinet of some unpopular few. He said the party could no longer fold its arms and allow things go haywire.
He said they were more determined to ensure that true leadership was enthroned in the party in the state and not for domestic servant to be appointed as chairman and members of the state executive picked from personal aides of some individuals in the party.
The PDP chieftain said his principle in remodeling the party in the light of change was desirable, having in mind that the party had been in power for 16 years with a lot of bad incidents, which resulted in their losing the presidential election in 2015.
According to him, the idea of supporting Sheriff was for the PDP in the state to experience a rebirth which was the reason they visited to identify with him and his ideals as a leader of the party.
“The impunity that has been going on at the Abia State chapter of the party with one family trying to personalise the party is not a welcome development and this also reflected at the national convention, leading to two factions emerging at the national level.
“During the Abia State congress, the party zoned the chairmanship seat to Abia central and many people from the area bought forms, but we are surprised that during the congress proper, a man who was never screened was appointed as the chairman of the party.
“The new chairman who was appointed has no power to take decisions, when any problem arises, you see him shuttling from one house to the other to seek approval from those who placed him in office, before a decision will be made.
“The way the party is going under the supposed chairman, there is no hope that the party will ever win an election in the 2019 general election and we need to make it clear that this fight is not against the governorship of the state, but to strengthen the party now and in the future.”