From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

Lawyer and former attorney general of Imo State, Chukwuma Ma-Chukwu Ume, has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) about the imminent and looming calamity that may befall the party in Abia State as a result of clear disregard to the guidelines for the conduct of the primary.

In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Iorchia Ayu, dated May 9, 2022, the l lawyer noted that using a purported zoning arrangement as a cover-up for perpetuating god-fatherism will spell doom for the fortunes of the party in the 2023 general election.

Accordingly, he called on the national chairman of the party to immediately intervene in the controversy in the overall interest of the party in Abia State.

In the letter entitled: “The Abia State chapter of PDP zoning and 3-Man delegate mishap.” Is Your Party Already Engrossed in Double Standard,” the lawyer said: “The current underground and snaky manoeuvring bedevilling the ongoing gubernatorial primary and nomination in your Abia Sstate chapter calls for your immediate attention and intervention.

“What is happening in Abia primary and the nomination of your party’s flag-bearer for the coming governorship election in the state would help either build or destroy the confidence of the Nigerian people in your party not only in Abia but nationwide.”

Ume, therefore pleaded with Ayu “not to allow the sorry story now going on in your Abia State chapter to define your leadership.”

He observed that in a state with three-senatorial districts, opening governorship nominations for only two districts while leaving one does not speak well of any functional and rotation and leave any chance for the choice of meritorious leadership.

“Subject to your national executive council decision, your party is said to have ruled out zoning at the national level in the said quest for capable hands, thus, should your party now throw away this quest and mantra under the questionable guise of zoning in Abia State. In fact, the much-taunted 3-man delegate need to stick to rules else your party could go through what your Plateau State chapter went through in 2005.

“You as national chairman wrote to INEC that 3-man delegate congress will hold on May 4, 2022. On the same date, the Abia State chairman of PDP wrote to the Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, that the congress will hold on May 6, 2022.

“Would a state chairman be allowed to usurp the function of national chairman of NWC and NEC of the party just because a predetermined goal must be achieved? Should your party allow such impunity to stand?

“Even the purported results of the congress in 184 wards in Abia was also submitted in Abuja same day (May 6, 2022) it was said to have been held. Assuming it was even done by INEC BVA results, it still could not have been computed so instantaneously. Could it be that a pre-packaged results were simply sent to your good office.

Ume said the claim that the May 6, 2022 congress for the Abia governorship primary was done by consensus sounds contrary to common sense and unknown to law as the Electoral Act says consensus must be written and signed by all the contestants.

“Suffice it to say, while your party was out of government, the resilience and starling performance of some of your party members made the party a hope to reckon with.

“Your Minority Leader in the Senate of the 9th National Assembly, Enyinnaya Abaribe, became a delight to all well-meaning Nigerians. His voice was always a food for thought for the government, political parties and Nigerians…”