*  Akobundu

By Chidinma Omar, Umuahia

The semblance of one family love which had existed in Ikwuano LGA chapter of the PDP has finally given way as  members prepare to battle Col Austin Akobundu, (rtd), PDP's National Organising Secretary.

Theledgerng.com exclusively reports party members are up in arms against Akobundu for virtually turning Ikwuano PDP to 'Akobundu and Family plc'.

''Enough is enough, we have had enough of Akobundu's shennaniganism. Must every position coming to Ikwuano PDP be occupied by a member of the Akobundu's family?, a member who spoke off record  to this reporter fumes.

Theledgerng.com reports that the Abia State caucus of the PDP  in a meeting on February 18, 2020, set up a Congress Committee which made  recommendations for the party to follow in Its Zonal, State, LGA and Ward  congresses in the state.

 The committee’s recommendations that zoning formula would be adopted for all the positions in the party from the state level down to the ward level, and consequently zoned the chairmanship of the party to Abia South, while stating that positions in the 17 LGAs of the state should be rotated in line with the zoning formula already on ground, were wholeheartedly adopted on Sunday, March 1, 2020, during a follow up caucus meeting of the party.

Thus,  in compliance with the resolution of the party caucus, almost all the LGAs in Abia State have begun to implement the zoning formula, for instance,  the chairmanship is moving from Alayi to Umunnato in Bende LGA; Olokoro to Ubakala in Umuahia South LGA, while in Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s LGA, Obingwa, where it alternates between East and West zones it has moved to the next zone which is Uhie, in accordance with the resolution of the party caucus.

In a bizarre twist however,  Col Akobundu has decided  to handpick the party executives from the ward to the LGA level.  Those close to him say that Col. Akobundu’s intention is to use the handpicking  of LGA party executives to ultimately decide  who occupies any elective position from the LGA, starting with Executive Chairmanship position of the LGA later when the LG election holds.


* Nwabuisi
Sources close to the retired Army officer said he has already anointed  his in-law who is from the same clan as him, Oloko to become Ikwuano's next LG Executive Chairman.

Ikwuano comprises fours clans - Oboro, Oloko, Ibere and Ariam. Political positions in the LG is rotated amongst the four clans which is divided into North and South. Oloko and Ariam are South, while Oboro and Ibere are North.  Presently the member representing Ikwuano State constituency, Stanley Nwabuisi is from Oloko. Nwabuisi is also said to be Akobundu's nephew.

In the tussle for positions, Ibere clan is staking claims to the LGA chairmanship of the party, and in an emergency meeting held on Sunday,  March 1, 2020, the PDP youths of Ibere clan had stated clearly that the clan is only interested in the LGA chairmanship of the party,  threatening that if this right of theirs is not honoured by the party, they would decamp to another party that will take into account the interest of the clan.

In another development, Ariam ward of the party in a unanimous resolution passed during their meeting on Saturday  March 7, 2020, suspended the outgoing LGA chairman of the party, Elder Obioma Igwe, for anti-party activities, and affirmed the clan stake to the next Executive Chairman of the LGA and not keeping the party's LGA chairmanship.

Party stalwarts from Ikwuano are protesting that Akobundu's latest gambit is to thwart the zoning policy of the party with the sole intention of ensuring
his in-law also from Oloko  emerges Executive Chairman of the LGA.

They recall that using  his position as the National Organising Secretary of the PDP, Col. Akobundu  foisted his nephew, Stanley Nwabuisi, a young man who was not actively involved in PDP activities in the LGA, on the people of Ikwuano as the member representing them at the Abia State House of Assembly thus shortchanging loyal and effective party members.

Akobundu was said to have also allotted the LGA’s lone slot for the position of the Special Adviser to the Governor to his younger brother; And made his cousin, the Deputy Transition Committee Chairman of the LGA. All of these people are from his clan Oloko, thus leaving the other clans feeling marginalized and disgruntled.

Embittered PDP members from Ikwuano  expressing  dissatisfaction with Akobundu's actions, says the party faces  mass desertation  if he is allowed to continue to run the party as 'Akobundu and Family plc'

It will be recalled that Akobundu's highhandedness and imposition led to PDP losing the House of Assembly seat to APGA in 2015.

''The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, and the  PDP leadership at the state and national level must call  Col Akobundu to order, if they want Ikwuano to remain PDP'', the fuming party stalwarts affirmed