By Stanley Okoronkwo
When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost the 2023 governorship election in Abia State, people around the state and beyond believed the party was dead. All of a sudden, the party rose from the abyss and started making headlines from its 2027 primaries.
For a party that has ruled Abia for years and left power for three years, many of their members left, remaining only but a few who stood firm to defend the party in all cases, including defending the indefensible and abysmal administration of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
One of those that stood was Chief John Okiyi-Kalu (JOK), the man who served in Ikpeazu’s government for two terms as commissioner in the Ministry of Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Information.
Immediately after the 2023 election, mentioning the name PDP sounded like a taboo in the streets of Abia. But not for JOK. His articles were circulating, and his voice was loud as he defended the dying party with pride and honour, including sewing dresses with the party’s logo.
Fast forward to 2026, when it was time for forms to be sold; the slightly open secret of bringing unknown names started circulating as JOK was making his consultations.
Intrigues only synonymous with Judas Iscariot began to raise their heads from the party’s leadership in Umuahia to the world levels. A clandestine plot to stage a fast burial for the PDP was being plotted by the undertaker in charge of the party.
Firstly, the leadership tried using the zoning format to disqualify him but failed. They tried using involuntary consensus and equally failed. Then, the last resort was to induce their already hungry and gluttonous members with promises.
On the day of the governorship primary, the vultures gathered to eat the remaining decaying, smelly and decomposing body of the PDP and had serious help through the unrepentant and irredeemably corrupt leadership that trickles from the state working committee to the ward level.
Monitoring the activities around Osisioma, Aba South, Aba North and Ugwunagbo with friends, I can comfortably report that as early as 12 noon, members and ward chairmen started arriving and showing each other an SMS from the party leadership in Umuahia.
According to them, the party leadership asked them to vote for one Mr Kelechi Anosike, who is their preferred candidate who will go ahead to fly the party’s flag in 2027.
The issue generated uproar in different voting centres in the four LGAs monitored, especially at Aba South, where members even protested that they do not know any PDP aspirant called Mr Kelechi Anosike.
As the party leaders in the LGA called for voting to begin, the members who were shouting JOK is who we know, resisted them and demanded that they must be given the money brought by the favourite aspirant so that they can share it before voting.
The leadership, in their usual irredeemable posture, refused openly and urged the members to go ahead and vote, that after voting they would be rewarded.
When they introduced the three aspirants, the agitated party faithful were like, “Who are these other aspirants and where are they from?”
After almost two hours of haggling, struggling and almost assaulting each other, ward chairmen were seen discussing with their members in different groups as the scattered crowns regrouped again to vote.
All of a sudden, the same members who sang JOK were outsmarted by their irredeemable leaders, according to the instructions of the SWC.
In what looks like brazen manipulation, ward chairmen were seen dragging confused members standing on Chief John Okiyi-Kalu’s like shouting “ichefuola ihe akgwara gi”, meaning “Have you forgotten what we told you?”
When some supporters of JOK tried to resist the forceful manoeuvering of their loyal voters to the line of Anosike, some ward chairmen with their supporters threatened to beat them up and give them unforgettable injuries right inside Mbieri Development Town Union Hall at Obohia Road.
At the end of the counting, the members came out saying openly that since the leadership has decided to end the party, it is better they collect whatever they can and join the Labour Party later, as they know that the PDP chapter is closed.
When confronted with the question of why they should be involved in something they all seemed angry at doing, Mr Osondu Ogbonna said, “When the party leaders have decided, if we protest more, they’ll eat the money brought by Anosike alone and will still do as they want.
“Since they want to kill the party, let’s all join hands to make it happen. Soon, I’ll join the Labour Party and roll with the current people in power. PDP can go to hell for all I care.
“I regret getting involved in this betrayal, but I’m doing it because I already know they’ll have their way. They cannot force an aspirant down my throat without giving me something. I’ve collected my share, and we’ve all sold the PDP to the highest bidder.
“Let’s move on to another party. That’s the game. After all, I don’t know if I’ll be favoured by JOK if he wins. The only thing I know is that he’ll fight hard to win, but the man we were forced to vote for today looks like one who’ll just disappear tomorrow, and the part will be left empty…”
Ernest Nwokeocha said that he is shocked that the immediate past governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, could not show leadership in PDP and allowed a certain senator from Arochukwu to use the state working committee of the party to manipulate members into burying PDP alive.
“It shocked me that Ambassador Okezie Ikpeazu cannot give directives to the party on what to do. How can he allow that failed senator who was only good at sharing wheelbarrows to sit in his house and force PDP members into voting for a candidate they don’t know?
“How can he allow an ordinary party chairman and a few politicians who lack integrity to destroy PDP. I know about two os such people from his own LGA of Obingwa who led this show of shame. Well, everybody knows the consequences of this result today. It’s crystal clear that PDP is dead, buried and forgotten in Abia State,” he stated.
Mrs Nneka Ofor, while speaking said, she was shocked to see the elderly and youths in the PDP displaying an embarrassing attitude of voting for an aspirant whose name they do not even know.
“I have chosen to quiet politics today. Darkness has taken over my political career. What my eyes saw today and what my ears heard today are things I never expected to see in Igboland. Unfortunately, hunger and gluttony have eaten deep into the fabrics of our existence, and without accepting crumbs, the majority of us may not survive.”
