By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Chukwudi Umeaba, has cancelled ward congresses of the party in the state held on Friday, June 11, 2021.

Umeaba was restored as the party’s caretaker committee chairman by an Abuja Federal High Court following the sack of the Chief Ndubisi Nwobu-led executive

The congresses were intended to elect a three-man Ad-hoc Committee for the party’s governorship primary scheduled for June 26.

Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Awka on Saturday, Umeaba said a new date for the ward congresses would be announced by the National Executive Council (NEC).

He hailed the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, PDP leaders in the state, zonal chairman in the South-East region, among others, for their support.

Umeaba said: “The High Court judgement which you have is very clear on who is in charge of PDP affairs and programmes in Anambra State – that is me, Hon Chukwudi Umeaba, the Acting Chairman of the Caretaker Committee for the PDP.

“I wish to state that my Committee will work to conclude the outstanding responsibility reposed on us by the NEC and is ready to work with all concerned to reposition the party in the winning ways

“Therefore, all hands must be on deck to meet up with the challenges ahead, state congress, party Primary for governorship election and other duties that may come from the NEC

“Based on the above and working in concert with the terms of reference and exercising the powers hitherto embedded in my position and PDP’s Constitution, hereby make the following pronouncements

“I have suspended Ward Congresses the Ward congresses to elect a 3-man Ad-hoc Committee for the governorship primary.”

Umeaba, however, said that the change in leadership will not affect the party's primary election already fixed for June 25.

In his reaction, the ousted chairman of the party, Ndubisi Nwobu described those championing the judgement that purportedly sacked his EXCO as political merchants.

He said: “Our attention has been drawn to a court judgement delivered via zoom, which purportedly sacked this executive. We want to tell you there is nothing of such and it cannot stand.

“I want to let you know there was another judgement on 24 May, 2018 by Justice AO Musa of the Federal High Court Abuja. That judgement clearly stated the process in which we emerged, and it stated that we fulfilled all the processes, and we are duly elected.”

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