IPAC comprising of Anambra chapter chairmen of the various registered political parties to elect new executive to oversee its affairs failed bitterly
For the second time in five days, efforts by members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) comprising of the Anambra state chapter chairmen of the various registered political parties to elect new executive to oversee its affairs in Anambra state was bitterly stalemated.
The council which hitherto had two parallel factional executives when the executive at the national level broke into two irreconcilable factions shortly after the 2015 general elections, had attempted last Friday, Sept 23,2016 to bury the hatchet without success.
The move, according to the spokesman and chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Ken Emeakayi, was because the national executive has since reconciled and elected one national executive structure.
But at a follow-up meeting held at Best Western hotels Awka yesterday, Sept 27, 2016, to mend fences and patch things up, the party chiefs’ differences appeared unresolved, hence settling for a 7-man interim executive while the election was postponed indefinitely.
An unconfirmed source alleged that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led state government’s moves to muscle the council into acting it’s script was reason for the stalemate.
Though the state chairman of the APGA, Chief Norbert Obi was at the meeting, he remained taciturn about the deliberations.
He was however nominated to head the interim executive alongside six others including chairman of the Hope Democratic Party, Chief Sam Oraegbunam, and a Nollywood star who is the chairman of the Advance Congress for Democrats (ACD), Oby Kate Okafor.
The source noted that the posture has shown that both officers would not be running for the next IPAC chairman, especially Chief Obi, who political watchers noted have not been taken into confidence in the scheme of things by the Gov Willie Obiano’s administration.
He was described as “a mere paper chairman who was dumped the way the former state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Amechi Obidike who resigned his position to help build the Obiano leadership, but had been ignominiously relegated to near oblivion”.
In a resolution read out to journalists shortly after the meeting, the PDP chairman, Prince Ken Emeakayi revealed plans by the council to organize a political summit in the state soon.
He stated that the meeting resolved also to postpone their election indefinitely to enable members do deeper and wider consultations with their individual parties, structures and followers.
He said that the unification of the two former factions had been achieved, but that there was still need for all to go back for wider consultations before the election holds.
The members of the interim management team included Norbert Obi, Kate Okafor, Akudo Chikwendu, Peter Okala, Bartho Igwedibia, Chief Sam Oraegbunam and Nelson Ihenatuorah.
Those appointed into the committee for the proposed political summit include Emeakayi, Barr Emeka Ibe of the APC, Luke Ezeanokwasi of the Labour Party, Omeife Omeife, Ikechukwu Nwekwe, Dr Sylvester Igwiloh and Mr Onuka.
Describing the day’s deliberations as peaceful, fruitful and interactive, Emeakayi denied allegations that there were moves to impose anyone on them, and that there was no issue of misappropriation of any money, claiming he was hearing it for the first time.
From Chuks Collins, Awka
