PDP in disarray over Anambra governorship election…Nwoye accuses Metuh of sabotage

Oliseh Metuh                     Tony Nwoye

More crises are brewing within the constantly troubled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family over the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.  The party’s embattled candidate, Tony Nwoye, openly berated the national headquarters and state chapter of the party for praising the conduct of the poll, recently.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, had on Sunday described the election as ‘free and fair’ even when Nwoye joined his All Progressives Congress  and Labour Party  counterparts, Chris Ngige and Ifeanyi Ubah,  respectively in calling for its cancellation.

On Wednesday in Awka, the  Chairman of the state  chapter, Mr. Ken Emeakayi, did the same as Metuh by  describing the poll as  credible.

Emeakayi had told a news conference that   the  PDP would participate in the supplementary election, which Nwoye is against.

Emeakayi had told journalists that the decision to commend and participate in the supplementary election was taken at an emergency meeting of the state working committee of the party.

He said, “We state categorically and unequivocally that the PDP will participate in the supplementary election in the contentious areas of the state as announced by INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), and we charge our members to continue to remain calm and focused.”

He accused the APC of trying to cause disaffection within the PDP by using some members to make statements that were inimical to the position of the PDP on the election.

However, an angry and shocked Nwoye, through his campaign organisation, said he was surprised  “that certain highly placed officers of the party”  could  go to the press to make comments  about the election without consulting  him.

 Nwoye, through his   campaign organisation,   dissociated himself from the position of the state working committee of the PDP.

At a separate news conference also on Wednesday,    the Director-General of the   organisation, Mr. Osita Ezenwa,  said, “The election has been poorly conducted and what remains is for INEC to conduct a fresh election. If we win, fine. If we don’t, we will congratulate the winner.”

Ezenwa, in company with Ken Arinze and Clems Ezika, added, “I don’t see why someone should be in a hurry to congratulate INEC or any other person on an election that has not been concluded.”

The organisation later released a statement in which it condemned  Metuh  for commending the  election without consulting it.

The statement from its    ICT and Communication Unit was signed by Ikeagwuonwu Chinedu,  Okwu Okwu, Ikechukwu Onyia and Orjika Chidi.

The statement reads in part , “It is a common knowledge that the Anambra State  governorship election that held across the state on   November 16, 2013, was  marred by irregularities.

The organisation also accused Metuh of   sabotaging the PDP during the election.