‘Anyanwu Has My Support For PDP Secretary’ — Ihedioha Denies Rejecting South-East’s Consensus Candidate

Former Imo State Governor and ex-House of Representatives Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, has refuted reports that he is against the emergence of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the consensus candidate for the position of National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

PDP’s National Vice Chairman for South-East, Ali Odefa, had last week announced Anyanwu as the zone’s consensus candidate for PDP secretary following the zoning of the office to the region by the party’s national leadership.

But in a surprise twist of events on Sunday, Madu Chinemerem, a former national official of the PDP from Imo State, said no consensus has been reached on the position.

According to Chinemerem, Ihedioha and other South-East PDP leaders who attended a meeting held on October 14 in Enugu had kicked against it when “Governors Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu came to the meeting and just announced the selection of Sen Anyanwu.”

However, Ihedioha has described the reports as “entirely misleading and should be disregarded.”

Speaking through his media aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, Ihedioha recalled that he had last Friday held  “a meeting with Senator Anyanwu shortly after Thursday’s meeting of critical stakeholders of the PDP Southeast, held in Enugu.”

Onyeukwu said, “Rt. Hon. Ihedioha extended hand of fellowship and assured Senator Anyanwu of his support, that of Imo PDP and indeed his friends and associates across the country to emerge as National Secretary at the Convention and to succeed in office.

“Let all issues, therefore be rested and nobody should play politics with it as it is not an issue in contest.

“Senator Anyanwu is neither the problem of Imo PDP nor that of our state. We know our problem.

“Imo PDP remains a united family driven by a common purpose. Any attempt by fifth columnists to cause disaffection, especially among its leaders will not succeed.”