A fresh controversy has emerged within the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State following allegations that the ongoing party congress in the state has been hijacked by certain individuals.
The complaint was raised by party chieftain Amaechi Onowu who petitioned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike over the conduct of the congress exercise.
Onowu who is also an aspirant for the position of state chairman expressed concerns that the process designed to elect new leaders for the party in Anambra State lacks transparency and fairness.
Speaking with journalists at a press conference in Abuja he alleged that the sale of congress forms has been monopolised thereby preventing many qualified party members from participating in the process.
According to him the position of state chairman had already been zoned to the Anambra Central Senatorial District where he hails from but the process is being manipulated to favour a particular candidate.
Onowu said he is a registered member of the party in Idemili North Local Government Area and urged Wike as a prominent national leader of the party to intervene in the matter.
He accused some political actors of orchestrating actions that have continued to weaken the party in the state since the era of former governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju.
The aspirant further alleged that the chairman of the State Caretaker Committee has prevented several stakeholders and loyal party members from obtaining congress forms to enable them contest for positions during the ongoing exercise.
According to him this development contradicts earlier directives that every registered party member should be allowed to participate in the congress to elect new state executive members.
He also claimed that the sale of chairmanship and other congress forms has been controlled across all the 21 local government areas of the state.
Onowu warned that if the situation is not addressed and the sale of forms opened to all interested members he would take legal action by approaching the court next week to challenge the process.
The dispute has added to the growing internal tensions within the party as members continue to debate the future direction of the opposition platform ahead of upcoming political contests in the state.
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