State Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Imo State, Martin Ejiogu and six other members of the State Working Committee, SWC of the party have dumped the party after announcing their resignation from their respective positions.

The other concerned SWC members are Nze Ray Emeana, State Secretary, Barr. Josiah Eze, State Treasurer, Collins Opurozor, State Publicity Secretary, Maria Mbakwe, State Woman Leader, Barr. Chibuisi Obido, State Vice Chairman, Orlu Zone and Greg Nwadike, State Youth leader.

In a press conference held at the party Secretariat, Owerri, yesterday, they disclosed that their decision followed the persistent ill-treatment being meted on them by the party’s governorship candidate, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, Samdaddy.

They accused Anyanwu of having done damages to the party since his emergence as the party’s flag bearer for the Imo November 11th governorship election and has not shown capacity of winning the election.

Speaking, Opurozor said, “In unequivocal terms, we announce to you that the PDP in Imo State has now been damaged beyond redemption by the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu (Samdadday), and the Party is at last moving irreversibly to its terminus.

“It is heartbreaking to inform you that some of us in the State Working Committee have severally escaped assassination attempts because of the wicked lies which our National Secretary sold to his violent supporters, that we misappropriated Party funds.

“All of us in the State Working Committee are reputable people who have made their marks in their various areas of endeavour. How could Senator Anyanwu destroy our reputation, and also destroy the Party we have built, simply because of his fight for individual survival? The implication is that if by mistake he is allowed to govern Imo State, he will further destroy our dear State if only that would guarantee his individual survival!”

He continued, “Last Saturday, armed thugs sponsored by Senator Anyanwu invaded the Party Secretariat and unleashed violence on us. They vandalized our building, smashed all the glasses, beat our security men to a pulp, broke into our offices, and looted everything they could find. This latest attack was the most brazen and audacious attempt to eliminate us.

“When the State Chairman, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, made efforts to bring the police to investigate the attack, Senator Anyanwu stood against it. Is that not shocking? How can a man who says he wants to make Imo safe again be caught aiding and abetting acts of violence and insecurity even against his own Party members? There is clear danger! There is fire on the mountain! Run! Run!! Run!!! We must now run to stay alive!

“This is the reason that, in the aftermath of Senator Anyanwu’s emergence as governorship candidate, hundreds of senior members of the Party have dumped the PDP. Four serving Federal lawmakers also dumped the Party along with thousands of their supporters in a single day. Those who stayed back have completely lost morale, only looking up to us for direction. And the moment has come.

“How do we explain to generations yet unborn that it was under our watch that one man became the National Secretary and governorship candidate, and also single-handedly chose a deputy governorship candidate for himself? Collegiality, stakeholding and consultations have all taken flight from Imo PDP.

“To be very clear, Senator Anyanwu is not running for governorship in November. If he claims to be running, it is not to our knowledge as members of the State Working Committee. The Party does not know what his program looks like. That is if he has any. Governorship campaigns have started, yet the Party does not also know if there is anything like a campaign council.”

“In view of the forgoing and many other shocking discoveries which will soon be made public, we, the undersigned members of the Imo State Working Committee of the PDP, have resolved to resign our various positions in the Party and dump the Party en masse.

“We have today opened the floodgate of resignations and defections, and in the next couple of weeks, there will be only Senator Anyanwu left in the Party.” he added.