By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) has inaugurated a 15-man Caretaker Committee to oversee the party’s affairs in Ebonyi State.

This came after the crisis in the party worsened, with many stakeholders defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

News Express reports that the Ebonyi PDP has not been the same owing to its unsuccessful outing during the 2023 general elections, a development blamed on wrong choice of candidates.

The NWC had since after the election made several fruitless attempts to reconcile the aggrieved stakeholders, prompting the latest action.

The 15-man committee, which was inaugurated at the South-East zonal office of the party in Enugu, on Tuesday morning is headed by Barrister Steve Oruruo from Enugu State.

Oruruo, a former Secretary of the PDP in Enugu State, has a core mandate to reconcile the aggrieved members in Ebonyi and reposition the party.

National Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Ali Odefa inaugurated the committee, charging them to discharge their duties in line with the party’s constitution.

Odefa said: “You must uphold the PDP constitution, be loyal to it, and not to anyone no matter the person’s status, including myself.”

While thanking the national body of the party for coming to the rescue of the state, he expressed optimism that the Oruruo-led committee would deliver, going by his antecedents in party administration.

“Ebonyi State has learnt its lesson, and I am happy with the calibre of people that have been given this assignment, especially the chairman,” he declared.

Also speaking at the event, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Afikpo South/North Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, Hon. Iduma Igariwey applauded the national leadership of the party for the wise decision.

He stressed that he had no doubt that the committee would live up to expectation, going by the members’ pedigree and antecedents.

“What is now paramount in Ebonyi PDP is peace and harmony; every stakeholder must join hands to build our party.

“We have great expectations, especially because of the calibre of members of the Caretaker Committee.

“What we need now in Ebonyi is stability of the party. We thank the National Working Committee of our great party for the decision.

“Ebonyi State has been a PDP state since 1999, and we always win our elections under the party, so we must do everything humanly possible to return to winning ways,” he advised.

Responding on behalf of his members, the Chairman, Barrister Oruruo thanked the party’s national body for finding them worthy to carry out the onerous assignment.

He said, “I quite understand the enormity of the task given to me and my colleagues, and we have made up our minds to carry out this assignment and will not fail our party.

“By the special grace of God, we are going to reorganize, rejuvenate the party in Ebonyi State. We are going to create a new order and atmosphere of lasting peace.”

He added that the Committee, which has Barrister Paschal Ukwuani also from Enugu State as Secretary, would do everything humanly possible to rebuild the party in the state.

He said participating In elections without winning amounted to mere jamboree.

The Chairman rallied all the stakeholders and gladiators in the state to eschew acrimony and politics of bitterness, assuring them of quality leadership during their period of stay in office.

Other members of the committee include: Barr. Jude Omoha, Francis Ibiam, Ude Akaji, Chief Godwin Nwode, Hon. Amechi Oken, Chief Christopher Elechi Ngwuta, Dave Odey, and Hon Ezekiel Igede.

Among them are also: Hon.chika Nwoba, Hon. Emmauel Uka, Engr. Edward Ifeanyi Odanwu, Okoro Monday Ogbonnaya and Hon. Mark Onu.

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