From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
A political pressure group, Abia PDP Redemption Movement for 2027, has called for the immediate sack of the state chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Allwell Asiforo Okere, should he fail to resign honourably, for his alleged incompetence.
The group in a statement signed by its chairman, Emmanuel Kelechi; Secretary, Ignatius Ahanekwu; Abia North representative, Kalu Ike Ukah; Daniel Nwokocha, and Nma Okezie for Abia Central, and Abia South respectively,
blamed the party’s abysmal performance in the 2023 general elections on the Chairman’s alleged incompetence.
The group in the statement said PDP has never witnessed such a high level mass defection and loss of electoral fortunes as recorded under the watch of Asiforo.
Other reasons for the group’s grouse against the PDP Chairman were the inability of the leadership of the party under him to facilitate the swearing in of one of its candidates declared winner of the House election by the court; and the loss of the party’s State Secretariat under his watch.
The group which claimed to be “a network of all PDP volunteer organizations in Abia”, said it was determined to restore the electoral fortunes of the party and recover Abia for PDP in 2027.
The statement read in part:”It is no longer news that PDP has lost power in Abia State they held since 1999. It is no longer news that the 2023 elections organised by Hon. Allwell Asiforo is the worst since inception of PDP starting from the primaries to general elections.
“It is no longer news that an elected member of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Aron Uzodike has not been sworn in and the party has not done any practical thing other than weightless press conferences.
“It is no longer news that Abia PDP has no Secretariat. It is no longer news that Abia PDP has recorded more defections than any other party in the history of party politics in Nigeria.
“It is no longer news that Abia PDP has no leader and the party is in disarray. It is no longer news that Abia PDP is living on a shadow of itself.
“Therefore, having seen all these anomalies and determined to ensure that Abia PDP doesn’t die untimely, we support the call for the sack and removal of Hon. Allwell Asiforo, as the Chairman.
“This is as a result of the Chairman’s incompetence; high handedness, self-centeredness, grandstanding and lack of team spirit.
“In addition his face has brought an unprecedented woes to Abia PDP and Asiforo has to go”
The group urged the national leadership of the PDP to remove chairman without further delay in line with the party’s constitution.
“Consequently, we call on BOT of the party, NWC of the party and SWC of the party, to rise to the occasion and sack Allwell Asiforo as enshrined in the PDP Constitution.”
When contacted by journalists, Asiforo dismissed the group as “faceless”, and referred them to the Publicity Secretary of the party, Abraham Amah for further response.
Amah, while responding, equally described the group as amorphous, adding that it was unfair to blame the Chairman for the misfortunes of the party when he delivered the party’s candidates in his polling unit and ward.
He challenged the group and other stakeholders of the party to produce evidence that they also delivered PDP in their respective polling units and wards.
“In every organization including political parties, it takes collective responsibility to succeed. Unfortunately, PDP has only one candidate in the House of Representatives but that candidate is from the immediate constituency of our Chairman. The PDP candidate also won clearly in his booth and ward. PDP did not lose election in the Chairman’s ward.”
On the allegation of high-handedness, the party’s Spokesman said such issue could only be raised by the State Working Committee, adding that “such has never been raised against him by the SWC”.
He said that those defecting to other parties were driven by hunger and personal interests, seeing the development as a norm among Nigeria politicians.
“The issue of mass defection has been a tradition of Nigeria politicians for years, and many of those defecting are driven by hunger. Some of them are those who want to protect their business interest.
“They are not persons even the parties they are joining can trust because any slightest thing they will move to another party”, he said.
He urged members of the PDP in the state to remain calm.