Kalu returns to PDP as party sacks Ward executives

A former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has accepted to return to the Peoples Democratic Party, a party he helped in founding in 1998.

Kalu made his decision to return to the party known on Thursday in his country home at Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.

Kalu, who addressed a mammoth crowd at the event to announce his rejoining of the PDP, said he decided to accept the hands of fellowship stretched out to him by the PDP in Wards A and B in Igbere.

He said the appeal of the PDP members in Wards A and B in Igbere and the subsequent presentation to him of a membership card with number 9787945 by the Chairman of Ward A, Joseph Chika, touched him so much he decided to return.

Chika had on January 16, 2013 presented Kalu with the PDP membership card.

Kalu, during the acceptance of the invitation to return to the PDP, charged and called on party men and women to remain committed to the party by burying their differences in the interest of the party and Nigeria.

He noted that in politics, there will be differences but what matters most is the way they are managed.

He commended the reconciliation efforts of the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur, and his executives, describing it as a positive strategy that will not only strengthen internal democracy but will take the party to greater heights.

He noted that as one of the founding fathers of the party, he is happy to return to his “family house” and assured the people of his commitment, support and dedication to party affairs at all levels.

He advised all party loyalists to join hands together to add value to the party individually and collectively.

But in a rather panicky move, the state chapter of the PDP on Thursday announced the dissolution of the executive council of Wards A and B of Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.

The announcement was made on the radio and television stations of the state government.

However, the Chairmen of Wards A and B, Chika and Amadi Kalu, in a joint statement insisted it was unconstitutional and illegal to dissolve the executive councils.

They described it as the handiwork of selfish political detractors that were not happy with the readmission of Kalu into the party.

They vowed to challenge the action at the appropriate court and noted that nobody could stop the return of one of the founding members of the party because the party belonged to all and was bigger than any individual.

They stated further that their action to readmit Kalu was in line with the constitution of the party and the reconciliation initiatives of the national executive of the party.

They encouraged all party stalwarts to be calm and steadfast as the party was going to places with the laudable efforts of its leadership.