Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential aspirant, Mr. Peter Obi, has walked away from the opposition party and his ambition leaving mouths wide open on the same day two Senators with gubernatorial ambitions in Abia and Enugu States respectively – Enyinnaya Abaribe and Ike Ekweremadu – dumped their dreams.
Obi’s letter:
But a PDP insider who did not want to be named told Everyday.ng: “Are you surprised? Tell me: what is the machinery that Obi has in PDP? What did he bring from APGA? In Anambra, even in the PDP in Anambra, Chris Uba controls the delegates. In Abia, Abaribe is from the same local government area as the governor, so why does he want to go there for another four years? What about people from the other zones in the State? He cannot return to the Senate on the PDP ticket because the governor who controls the party machinery has taken the senatorial ticket.
“Ekweremadu knows that he would not go far because of the tradition of zoning that PDP has operated in Enugu State since 1999. The party was not ready to change all that for him.”
Obi’s letter to PDP National Chairman, titled, ‘Resignation From Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Withdrawal from the Presidential Contest’, reads, “I am writing to intimate you of my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party, which was conveyed to the Chairman of Agulu Ward 2. Anaocha LGA Anambra, effective Friday 20 May, 2022. Consequently, I am by this letter informing you of my withdrawal for the PDP Presidential Primaries.
“It has been a great honour to contribute to nation-building efforts through our party. Unfortunately, recent developments within our party make it practically impossible to continue participating and making such constructive contributions.
“Our national challenges are deep-seated and require that we each make profound sacrifices towards rescuing our country. My commitment to rescuing Nigeria remains firm, even if the route differs.
“I wish to thank you personally for your graciousness and leadership. I wish you well and best of luck in the service of the country.”
Abaribe withdrew from the Abia State governorship primaries, citing pervasive injustice and partiality in the process.
In a statement on Wednesday, 25th May, 2022, Abaribe said: “The last couple of weeks has been tortuous as we battled hard to navigate our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) away from a self destructive path.
“The essence was to create an unfettered democratic space and a level playing field for all aspirants vying for all elective offices in the state, to participate equally in the primary elections.
“That was not the case and of course what we are witnessing is a shambolic process driven by a procured court injunction.
“To make matters worse, the use of only an imaginary 3-man Adhoc delegates to the exclusion of the party’s statutory delegates in the primary elections to elect our candidates even when INEC the nation’s electoral umpire, has unequivocally stated that no congress held in Abia State for that purpose, has no doubt put the party and her candidates in a quagmire.
“The implication for our party is grave and as such has put all ongoing primary exercises on quick sand.
“I am known for standing firm in defence of my convictions for the right of all people to a free and fair democratic process. That was why my campaign set sail on a democratic journey that took us to all the nooks and crannies of our dear state. We covered all the local governments and we could see the enthusiasm on the faces of our people who are desirous of change to a progressive government with a human face.
“We committed human and material resources, preaching the “Rise Up Abia” message for the total emancipation of our State from the drudgery of imposition and godfatherism, which has seen the state at the lowest wrung of infrastructural, human and material development index among the states of the federation.
“Our people were and are indeed fired up for a new lease of life that will be brought about by a people’s government.
“There was no doubt that Abians are tired of being subjected to being the butt of jokes and ridicle from their peers, particularly those from the contiguous states that were hitherto far behind Abia State in the development index in the time past.
”That was the narrative we sought to change when the campaign took off.
“Unfortunately, the ugly developments ignited by a rapacious ambition to maintain the wicked governance status quo of imposition and godfatherism have aborted this quest in PDP.
“Accordingly, I Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe will not be part of this charade.
“I am therefore not participating in the exercise, which means that I will not be part of the PDP governorship primary election that holds in Abia State on Wednesday 25th of May, 2022 as doing so would have amounted to endorsement of an illegality that is already being challenged in the courts.
“I therefore, ask all our people, our teeming supporters and Ndigbo to remain calm, keep the faith and wait for the new direction, which will be announced very soon.
“What is important is that the campaign to liberate Abia State would surely assume a new dimension. The time is now.
“Thank you for always being there for me and the campaign. Together we shall triumph.”
Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West Senatorial District at the Senate, announced his position in a statement on Wednesday by the Director-General of Ikeoha Campaign Organisation, Hon. Charles Asogwa.
The statement reads: “I wish to inform our supporters and Nigerians that the former Deputy President of the Senate and foremost governorship aspirant in Enugu State, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, will not be participating in the PDP governorship primary election scheduled for this Wednesday, May 25, 2022.
“Meanwhile, we continue to trust God as we appreciate our teeming supporters and the good people of Enugu State for the enormous goodwill they have ceaselessly invested in the actualisation of the “Pathway to a New Enugu State”.
“We urge them to remain peaceful and be assured that we will keep them abreast of our decision on the way forward.”
Those Peter Obi is leaving behind to slug it out for the PDP ticket include Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom); former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku; two former Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim; businessman, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; Sam Ohunabunwa, and Dele Momodu.