Mr. Ken Emeakayi
The Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday was thrown into serious confusion, as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, rejected Mr. Ken Emeakayi as the chairman of the party in the state.
The electoral umpire informed the party that it recognised Mr. Ejike Ogbuebego as the chairman.
Emeakayi has the backing of the national headquarters of the party.
Sources say he is also supported by Senator Andy Uba, who is a top contender to fly the party’s flag in the November 16 governorship election in the state.
A letter signed by Mr. U.F. Usman on behalf of the INEC Secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, to PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, dated August 11, 2013, also stated that the Commission “did not monitor the processes that brought in Emeakayi as the chairman of the state chapter of the PDP.”
“The Commission found that whereas it monitored the state congress of the PDP in Anambra State in 2010 at which Chief Emma Nweze emerged as the state chairman of the party, it has no record of how Emeakayi suddenly became the chairman of the party in the state,” it said.
INEC noted that having considered all the cases on the Anambra PDP crises, it was not bound by the judgment of the FCT High Court, which nullified the congress at which Ogbuebego was elected.
“The Commission has resolved that it will not withdraw its letter with ref. No. INEC/EPM/PDP/24/1/153 of July 26 2013 by which it recognised Ejike Ogbuebego as chairman of PDP in Anambra State and shall be bound by the recent order of FHC, Port Harcourt.”
It recalled that in March 2012, the PDP conducted another congress in Anambra State in which Ogbuebego was elected the state chairman, adding that both INEC and PDP had recognised Ogbuebego as chairman, “until the commission received a letter of the acting national chairman on July 31, 2013.”
“The Commission notes with abhorrence the deliberate concealment of the judgment of the FCT High Court delivered on July 5, 2012 in suit No. FCT/HC/CV/2631/2012 between Emma Mbamalu vs PDP, by which the court declared the ward, local government and state congresses held in March 2012 in Anambra state at which Ejike Ogbuebego emerged as state chairman of PDP, null and void and ordered the PDP, to conduct other congresses in Anambra State, though the commission was not a party in the suit.
“The revelation of the existence of the judgment by PDP only on July 31, 2013, has imposed serious constraints on both the Commission and the party,” The letter added.
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