PDP calls for emergency NEC meeting as Umahi insists on defection to APC

POLITICS

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reportedly summoned for an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) following defection plans of Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Newsheadline247 understands the meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, November 19 at the National Secretariat of the party, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

However, a preparatory to the Thursday emergency NEC by the Board of Trustees (BoT), which is the highest advisory organ of the party, will hold on Wednesday at 2pm, according to THIS DAY.

Governor Umahi had last Tuesday told a delegation of the PDP NWC led by the National Chairman, Uche Secondus, that he had made up his mind to leave the party for APC.

It was also gathered that Mr Umahi is believed to have been making overtures to his Abia State counterpart, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to go with him to the APC.

Umahi was reported to have hinged his planned defection to the agreement with the APC that the presidential candidate of the party would be zoned to the South-east pointing out that the PDP had been unfair to the region since 1999, as it has deliberately refused to zone the presidential ticket of the party to the zone.

The region was also said not to be pleased the appointment of Peter Obi as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP in the last general election.

According to THIS DAY newspaper, a source revealed that Obi was an imposition as there were politicians in the South-east that could have given more credibility and weight to the zone in terms of attracting more votes.

Governor Umahi is set to woo more South-East Region PDP governors to go with him to APC, with Ikpeazu being the first on his list.

 “The move is to have at least three APC governors in the South-east and use it as a canvassing opportunity to convince the APC leadership to give the APC presidential ticket to the zone,” a source was quoted.

Sources also divulged that Umahi’s decision was with the consent of the leadership of the pan Igbo socio-cultural group, the Ohaneze Ndigbo.

“Election is like warfare and all is good in any war. Since the PDP has deliberately refused to zone its presidential ticket to the zone, the Igbo will go with any political party that panders to its interest. Check out since 1999, the Southeast has been a backbone of the PDP and nothing to show for it.

“South-south has produced the President of Nigeria in the person of Goodluck Jonathan, Olusegun Obasanjo from the Southwest was president on the platform of the PDP for eight years.

“The northwest has had it in late Umaru Yar’Adua and though, he did not win, the Northeast produced the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 general election. Something has to be done to the Southeast for its massive support to the PDP”, the source said.

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