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Next PDP Board of Trustee Chairman must be an Igbo man – Iwuanyanwu

A member of the Board of Trustee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu on Thursday said that the chairmanship position of the party`s … Continue reading Next PDP Board of Trustee Chairman must be an Igbo man – Iwuanyanwu


A member of the Board of Trustee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu on Thursday said that the chairmanship position of the party`s BoT should be reserved for the South East.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja of his intention to contest the position, Mr Iwuanyanwu said that the PDP zoning principle made the provision for the zone to occupy the position.

He said that he was one of the founding members of the party, who contributed to its growth, adding that as multi-ethnic nation the zoning principle should be adhered to for the development of the party.

Mr Iwuanyanwu said the principle of zoning which was called national character in the constitution should not be dropped as there might be problems.

“In our party we believe in zoning, on Nov. 16, the South East members of this party met in Enugu and party leaders from the zone were all there.

“At that meeting they debated and said that by the party`s principle of zoning, the position of the party’s BoT chairman should come to South East.”
The former Presidential aspirant noted that the PDP’s BoT Secretary was from north, the President from the South-South while the South-East had yet to have any key position in the party.

He said that he was the most qualified person for the party’s BoT chairman haven used his resources and laboured for the party in the past.

“I feel I am the best qualified to take up this job, others are qualified too but I think I should be the best choice of the party.

“I have spent all my wealth on the party and on the people. Before I joined politics I was a rich man.

“But in the process of my political career, I became poorer than I was unlike some people who came to politics and became rich.

“I have not built any house and I have not bought any. Everything I had I got, I had them before I joined politics.

“I had two aircraft but today I have none but am still fighting for the youth and the poor people of this country,’’ Mr Iwuanyanwu said.

He urged the people of the South East and Igbos generally to continue to speak with one voice to ensure they got the PDP BoT chairmanship post.
He, however, said that the job of the PDP BoT was not for everybody but a person who lived in Nigeria and understood the youth.

He further said that it was not a job for urban politicians who never went home except during festive periods and therefore did not understand the plight of their people.

Mr Iwuanyanwu added that a man with straight records who could call party members to order when necessary was needed for the post and urged the party`s leadership to look for one with such records.

He promised to support the party, the president and the legislature if he was given the opportunity to serve as the PDP BoT chairman.

He also called for the continued support of the media, youths and South-South traders, whom, he said, had supported him through the years to ensure the actualisation of his ambition.

20 members of the ruling party had so far indicated interest to contest the PDP BoT chairmanship post which election had been fixed for 8 January 2013.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was the party’s BoT chairman had resigned his appointment on April 12, to attend to personal issues.