Strong indications emerged on Friday that the lingering leadership crisis rocking the Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have been resolved following the intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan who reportedly brokered a truce between the two gladiators, Governor Sullivan Chime and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
This however came as Justice A. R. Ozoemenam of Enugu High Court, yesterday granted an interim injunction restraining Elder David Aja from parading himself as the Acting State Chairman of the PDP in the state.
The injunction, coming a day before the national delegates congress of the party slated for Saturday was granted by Justice Ozoemena but details of the order was scanty as the copy was not released to newsmen by press time Friday.
CEOAFRICA checks revealed that the injunction may have accorded recognition to Ikeje Asogwa as state chairman of the party.
Some officials of the party including the State Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze denied knowledge of the court order when contacted Friday afternoon saying “I am not aware of any order of the court made today.”
On the truce meeting called at the instance of President Jonathan, it was gathered that the two leaders had agreed to resolve their differences in the interest of peace and progress of the party and the state.
It could not however be ascertained whether any of the two leaders had agreed to back down from the Enugu West senatorial contest which is clearly the bone of contention, but a source close to the government told us that "from all indications, it does appear that peace may have finally returned to the party in the state".
Meanwhile, about 100 aspirants vying for the 24 State House of Assembly seats on the platform of PDP were screened Thursday night under the supervision of Asogwa and members of the screening committee from the party’s national headquarters.
About 18 serving members of the House were among the large number of aspirants who appeared before the Screening Committee led by former Minister of Sports, Bala Kaoje, at the State Secretariat of the party on Chime lane.
With the exception of few female aspirants who paid N200, 000 for the expression of interest form, majority of the aspirants officially paid N1.2 million each for the expression of interest form.
Before appearing before the screening committee, each of the aspirants paid N150, 000 screening fee amidst protest and complaints that it was illegal as the party did not approve such fee.
Speaking with journalists’ at the venue, Kaoje hailed the aspirants for good conduct. “We have screened about 85 now and we are expecting more. So far, so good; you can see the faces of all the aspirants that have come here to be screened. They are happy with the way we have done it. We didn’t take too long to check their documents and assess them because most of them seem to know what they are doing.
“They all look like very experienced politicians. They provided the answers as they stated when they filled in their interest declaration forms. And they brought all the documents including the originals for us to sight. They made our work very easy. Since we started, we have not had any problem with one single aspirant” Kaoje said.
Some of the aspirants, who spoke to our correspondent at the venue however complained about the N150, 000 screening fees.
A stranded female aspirant who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation, said PDP announced that the expression of interest form was free for women and yet they collected N200, 000 from her for the form and now they were demanding N150, 000 to screen her.
When confronted by journalists, Kaoje said he was not aware of any screening fees
