The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State on Tuesday held parallel congresses in the state with one chairman emerging from each side.

Though the committee set up by the national leadership of the party conducted the exercise that produced Chief Kenneth Emeakayi as the state chairman of the party, the factional group led by Chief Chris Ubah produced another chairman in the name of Chief Ejike Oguebego.

While the 11-member committee led by Mr. Ladi Edun was at the Marble Arch Hotel conducting the exercise, which was attended by members of the national assembly from the state, including the two senators, Andy Uba and Stella Oduah, the other group was at the Emmaus House also in Awka conducting its congress with the immediate past chairman of the party emerging winner.

A total of One thousand, one hundred and seventy one delegates were accredited for the election of Emeakayi and other officers, but only Emeakayi was voted for as other officers were returned unopposed.

However, as result of a court order given by Justice B.A. Ogbuli of the Ihiala High Court on July 6, 2015, which was read by the congress chairman, Mr. Ladi Edun, two other persons who indicated interest in the chairmanship were barred from contesting the election.

The order stated that no aspirant from outside the area where any position was zoned to should contest the election and with it, only Emeakayi was qualified, having come from Anambra South where the office of the state chairman was zoned to.

Following the development, Chief Ngozi Agudosi from Anambra Central and Mr. Emeka Nzekwe from Anambra North were disqualified from standing for the election.

After the votes cast were counted, Emeakayi emerged winner with majority of the votes, while other officers were returned unopposed and were declared winners with voice affirmation.

After taking his oath of office, Emeakayi promised to unite all members of the party, urging those who were aggrieved for one reason or the other to realise that it was only through unity that the party could emerge victorious during the 2017 governorship election.

In his words, “Today marks the beginning of our serious desire to retake the governorship of the state. My appeal to every member of PDP in the state is to join us to work for the people of the state.

“We know some people might not be satisfied with the outcome of the election, but in this kind of contest, only one person will emerge winner.

“I assure everybody that nobody will be left out in the scheme of things.”

In their separate reactions, Agudosi and Nzekwe accused the congress chairman of having been compromised, arguing that his actions since he arrived the state for the congresses showed some kind of insincerity.

They described the judgment obtained from the High Court at Ihiala as fraudulent, adding that the developments in PDP during the recent congresses showed that the party has not learnt any lesson from the protracted crisis it has been going through over the years.

“My worry is that the outcome of the congresses marked the end of PDP in Anambra State,” Agudosi said.

He further stressed that there was no time stakeholders of the party in the state agreed on the zoning of the office of the chairman to Ihiala local government, adding that with the election of Emeakayi, Anambra Central has been shut out of PDP in the state despite the zone’s contributions to the growth of the party.

•Photo shows PDP National Chairman, Senator Amodu Sheriff.

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