ABUJA — THE crisis rocking Anambra State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a dramatic turn as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, overruled the decision of the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to endorse Ken Emeakayi as chairman.

The electoral umpire, in a letter to Tukur, said it would continue to recognise Chief Ejike Ogbuebego as the state chairman of Anambra PDP, until it was ordered otherwise by court of law because it monitored the congress which produced Ogbuebego.

The political logjam in Anambra came ahead of the gubernatorial election fixed for November 16 this year.

The office of the National Chairman of PDP was served the letter from INEC indicating its non-recognition of Ken Emeakayi as Anambra State Chairman of PDP.


Tukur

In the letter by INEC Secretary, Abdullahi A. Kaugama, the electoral umpire said: “The Commission was served with several letters on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State. Several ex parte orders and consent judgements in none of which INEC was a party were attached to the letters. You may wish to be reminded that the Commission monitored a state congress of the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State at which Chief Ejike Ogbuebego was elected as chairman of the party in the state.

“The Commission accordingly recognised Chief Ejike Ogbuebego as the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State. The Commission has not been served with any order in which the court nullified the election of the said Chief Ejike Ogbubego as the state chairman of your party in Anambra State.

“This is to inform you that the Commission will continue to recognise Chief Ejike Ogbuebego as the state chairman of your party in Anambra State until specifically ordered otherwise by a court of law.”

It would be recalled that PDP national chairman had last Monday issued a statement recognising Emeakayi as the chairman of Anambra PDP.

Tukur’s position was made known in a statement by PDP acting National Publicity Secretary, Tony Ceaser Okeke who urged all its members in Anambra State to work with Mr. Emeakayi towards achieving victory at the forthcoming governorship election in the state.