The Ebonyi State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has witnessed a major internal crisis following the mass resignation of members of its State Executive Committee (SEC).
Several top party officials, including the Deputy Chairman, Secretary, Youth Leader, and Welfare Officer, announced their resignation, citing alleged corruption, financial misconduct, lack of transparency, and irregularities surrounding the party’s recent primary elections.
The affected executives made their decision public during a press conference in Abakaliki, where they accused the party leadership of abandoning internal democratic processes and sidelining founding members.
The former Deputy Chairman of the NDC in Ebonyi State, Comrade Okey Idenyi, alleged that individuals who joined the party after its formation in the state had taken over its structure and decision-making process.
According to him, the original members who built the party from the grassroots were pushed aside after new entrants allegedly assumed control.
“We completed the ward, local government, state congresses and the national convention before politicians from other parties came in and took over the structure of the party,” Idenyi said.
He also faulted the conduct of the party’s primaries, claiming that an earlier agreement on consensus candidates was abandoned, leading to what he described as a poorly organised election process.
Idenyi alleged that aspirants were made to contribute different amounts of money under the guise of party fundraising, claiming that House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, and governorship aspirants paid various fees.
He expressed disappointment that the party had adopted practices similar to those it previously criticised in other political platforms.
Another former executive member, Barrister Solomon Chinedu Adum, said he resigned because he believed founding members were denied opportunities to contest for elective positions.
Adum claimed that complaints submitted to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) over internal disputes and alleged manipulation of the state chapter were not addressed.
He further alleged that after purchasing nomination forms, some aspirants were asked to make additional payments running into millions of naira before being considered for tickets.
Describing the process as unfair, he accused the party of lacking transparency and democratic principles.
Adum also disclosed that members had earlier passed a vote of no confidence on the State Chairman, Prince Alumu E. Nayib Desi, over allegations bordering on the conduct of the primaries.
He said efforts to resolve the crisis failed due to the leadership’s inability to respond to their concerns.
The former executive member also raised concerns over the future of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, alleging that political interests had influenced the party structure.
Meanwhile, the party’s Welfare Officer, Mr Cyril Ajah, and Youth Leader, Anthony Nwofe, also confirmed their exit from the NDC.
Nwofe described the Ebonyi NDC primary election as disappointing, alleging that petitions against the process were ignored by the national leadership.
He said the party’s activities no longer aligned with his expectations of a platform committed to political reform.
Ajah, who confirmed his resignation in a telephone interview, said he had withdrawn his support for the Obedient Movement due to the developments within the party.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ebonyi State NDC leadership had not issued an official response to the allegations.
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