The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party is said to be upset with former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, for deliberately staying away from the party’s Imo State Governorship Campaign flag off in spite of a peace deal earlier brokered.
Ihedioha who was privileged to be the party’s flag bearer on three different occasions was expected to grace Wednesday’s event which had party faithful from across the South East and beyond in attendance.
The well attended rally was graced by Party leaders, stakeholders and other supporters equally had in attendance governors elected on the platform of the PDP, members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Executive Committee (NEC) as well as other critical stakeholders from across the South East Zone and beyond.
A high ranking member of the party’s National Executive Committee who spoke on condition of anonymity in other not to preempt a meeting of party leaders, said,
“It was disheartening that a party leader of his (Ihedioha’s calibre will act the way he did. We met with all major stakeholders of our party and extracted a commitment from all of them to support our candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
“It goes beyond Anyanwu as a person, we all know the South East is a strong hold of our great party, we begged everyone to put aside what ever personal issues they may have and support our party and candidate, this is the only way we can start our long awaited revival.
“We held a series of meeting the latest being the one we held in Enugu on Monday. We pleaded with everyone to look at the bigger picture and ensure the party regains its pride of place but sadly Ihedioha without even an apology stayed away from the event giving our opponents a talking point. “
It was gathered that part of the resolutions reached during Monday’s meeting was that all Party leaders especially from Imo State should attend the flag-off ceremony, to project the right message of unity.
A party leader from the South East who also spoke on condition of anonymity because another meeting of leaders from the zone is scheduled to hold “within days”, said, “We can however report that the campaign flag off was a huge success.
“We are due to hold a South East Zonal caucus meeting on Friday where outstanding issues will be discussed and dispensed with. We need to work together in the interest of our party. “
