TheCable

Sullivan Chime, former governor of Enugu state, has quit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-register the party where he served his two terms as governor.

Speaking in an interview with NAN on Friday, Chime said no “serious-minded politician” will remain in the party which is “no longer in existence in the true sense of it’’.

He also denied the report that he has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying he was still making consultations to determine the political party to join.

“The PDP, we used to be members of is dead. The party I joined in 1999 and had the opportunity of leading in the state for eight years is no longer in existence,” he said.

“We have two groups claiming to be in charge of the party as chairman. These two, none of them can actually lay claim to the chairmanship of the party.

“There is no provision in PDP’s constitution for interim caretaker committee led by Sen. Ahmed Maikarfi.

“The PDP convention has no power to set up a caretaker committee and did not seek to amend the party’s constitution.

“It is surprising that INEC has not deregistered the PDP because the organisation is no longer working in tandem with the constitution that created it.

“The PDP as originally formed has been cremated and no serious-minded politician will remain in it.

“If those still remaining feel strongly about coming together they can come back, secure deregistration of the party and then form another party.”

Chime said that the founding fathers of the party lost it in 2014, when the PDP deviated from its norms.

The former governor said Ali Modu Sheriff on his own was brought in to serve out the tenure of former Adamu Mu’azu, national chairman, adding that the tenure had long elapsed.

Chime said remaining in the PDP would be a deceit, advising his supporters to look for a better platform to actualise their political aspirations.

Chime said it was obvious that the real founding fathers of the PDP had left, noting that no one would play active politics and succeed in the party.

Some notable politicians in Enugu, including Ken Nnamani, a former senate president, and Jim Nwobodo, a former senator have since dumped the PDP for the ruling APC.