PDP Crisis: Why Party Members Are Resigning – Sule Lamido

Sule Lamido, the former governor of Jigawa State has given the reason why some notable members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are resigning their membership from the party. He said that the reason for the current crisis in the party is because of the procedures of the court. He stated that Hon. Emeka Ihedioha would have remained a sitting governor of Imo state if the Supreme Court had not overturned his election as the governor of the state. According to him the frustration occasioned by the leadership of the party and the judiciary led to the mass resignation in PDP. This was stated by Lamido in an interview with Correspondents. It should be recalled that there has been an ongoing resignation in the camp of PDP, especially their members in Imo and a few other small states.

The former governor said if the court had not insisted that Senator Samuel Anyanwu was the National Secretary when Anyanwu went and contested for the Imo State governorship election, the National Secretary position would have been given to another notable candidate from Imo State. Lamido said, “Emeka Ihedioha and other chieftains of the PDP that resigned from the party were humiliated and frustrated out.” He went on to say that they were humiliated by the leadership of the party, through the help of the judiciary. In his statement also, he said “So, Ihedioha and his group felt frustrated and humiliated by the action of the leadership of the party by failing to stand up for justice. So, as a person, I don’t blame Ihedioha and his associates. I can understand why he and his associates left. Some external influences are tele-guiding the party.”

Lamido in a statement on the defection of the former Governor of Katsina to the APC also said the State was formally under the control of the All Peoples Party (APP). He added that it was the influence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo that made the PDP win the state in 2003. He also said that it went back to the APC as a result of the influence of former President Muhammadu Buhari and all his political associates. Furthermore, regarding the situation of PDP in Imo State, he said, “The leadership of the party was extremely unfair to Ihedioha who first asked if Anyanwu will contest for governor and when Anyanwu said yes, Ihedioha left it for him and yet, Anyanwu still did not leave the post of National Secretary. It is not fair.” He cited the case of the Supreme Court on Ihedioha’s case, and he argued that, “if not the ignoble role of the Supreme Court, Ihedioha will still be governor.” He also stated that the same courts were used to support Anyanwu retaining the office of the National Secretary and the Governorship candidate.

According to him, those that have left the party in the State include former Military Administrator, Air Commodore Luke Ochulor; Former Deputy Governor, Engr. Gerald Irona; Former Ministers of the Federal Republic, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, Chief Chuka Odom, and BOT member of the party – Chief Chris Okewulonu. The list also includes the Former NEC member of the party- Chief Henry Ekpe; Former elected members of the House of Representatives – Hon. ThankGod Ezeani, Hon. Mayor Eze, Hon. Uche Onyeaguocha, Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo, Hon. Obinna Onwubuariri and Hon. Jonas Okeke.

In continuation, he said that others who have dumped the PDP include the Chairman PDP Elders’ Committee – Prof. Jude Njoku; the Secretary PDP Elders’ Committee – Prof. Obioma Iheduru; Members of the Southeast Zonal Executive Committee, Chief Stanley Ekezie; Chief Augustine Elochukwu; Two senatorial candidates of the party in the last election- including Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu, former local government chairmen, several House of Assembly candidates of the party.