Another crisis is brewing in Ebonyi chapter of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) following the new caretaker committee announced by the National leadership of the party.
The list has been rejected by stakeholders of the party in the state after it was discovered that some of the nominees have detected to the All Progressives Congress(APC).
This is coming as Ebonyi South senatorial candidate of the PDP in the Feb 3, 2024 By-election in the state, Silas Onu fingered Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde as the mastermind of the crisis.
Stakeholders and leaders of the party in a statement protested the inclusion of the former members of the party who resigned their membership and joined the All Progressives Congress APC.
The stakeholder made their position known during a protest letter signed by the Deputy governorship candidate of the party, Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu and Senator Micheal Ama Nnachi among others.
They said that it is embarrassing and worrisome that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party made a volte face and reneged on their own decision by throwing away the list submitted by the critical stakeholders of the PDP.
The leaders noted that the NWC brought out an entirely new list that featured names of members of the party who resigned from the party and declared openly as members of the APC.
They gave the names of the former members of the party as Hon. Udeh Akaji, Hon. Francis Ibiam and Hon Dave Odeh insisting that “these individuals publicly resigned from the PDP and joined the All Progressives Congress another party.
“The list also includes the name of Hon. Okoro Pascal Monday who took the party to court in suit no: FHC/CS/AI/95/2024 Between Hon Pascal Okoro and Ambassador Umar Illilya Damagun (Acting National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party) and Six Others which is still Pending at the Federal High Court, Abakaliki Division.
“It is also noteworthy that the four named individuals were not at the meeting convened by the NWC on June 4, 2024.”
They maintained that from the conduct of the PDP NWC, it was clear they were either working as undertakers for the final burial of the PDP in Ebonyi State or misguided by arch-enemies of the PDP in Ebonyi State.
The group stated that should the NWC reneges on the collectively agreed-upon list of new caretaker committee as submitted by the various local government chapters of the PDP in Ebonyi State, we may not have any other option than to resign from the PDP.
Onu alleged that Makinde and the National Organising Secretary of PDP, Umar Bature are responsible for the brewing leadership crisis in the Ebonyi state chapter of the PDP.
In a statement in Abakaliki, Onu noted that the leadership crisis in Ebonyi PDP was rooted in Governor Makinde’s ambition of running for the Presidential position on the platform of the PDP in 2027.
He alleged that the shortchanging of list of caretaker committee in the state was part of the hatchet jobs which Governor Makinde has conscripted the PDP National Vice Chairman, Southeast, Ali Odefa to destroy the party in the zone.
According to Onu: “Umar Bature is disorganizing the party in Ebonyi State on the orders of Governor Seyi Makinde. On Tuesday 4th June, 2024 a statewide Stakeholders meeting was called by the NWC and party faithfuls from Ebonyi state came in their numbers to attend this meeting”.
“During the meeting, the Acting National Chairman and the National Organizing Secretary (NoS) assured attendees that any decision reached at the meeting will be implemented because all key stakeholders were aware of the meeting and anyone who knowingly absents himself will be bound by the decisions”.
“On the issue of caretaker committee, the NoS insisted that each LGA in Ebonyi State must submit a name immediately for the list to be published the following day. This was complied with and then the drama began again”.
“The NOS began to change names submitted by the stakeholders and I called him to know why. He explained that His Excellency Dr. Sam Egwu and the National Vice Chairman South East zone (who deliberately stayed away from the meeting because they had no grassroots support) have reported him to the Governors Forum where he was summoned and directed to alter the list in favour of these individuals.
“This explanation wasn’t what was agreed upon in an open meeting and the trust of members was being sacrificed for the ambition of one man that is a Governor in South West”.
The PDP chieftain also alleged that some prominent members of PDP including a former governor of the state, Senator Sam Egwu and the member representing Afikpo North and Edda Federal Constituency, Hon. Idu Igariwey were persons whose wives were leading figures in Ebonyi APC.
“These persons who are struggling to hijack the PDP in Ebonyi State are only interested in getting delegates for the next primary elections as that is their trade.
“They aren’t interested in the party winning any elections in Ebonyi. When I ran for Senate in the February 3, 2024 rerun, Ali Odefa (the National Vice Chairman South East) was in the fore-front working for APC and using his boys to file all sort of court actions against me. I wrote a petition against him to the party and that has not seen the light of day till date”.
“I have decided to come out open, because those that I have mentioned here as the enemies of PDP Ebonyi State were absent in the Stakeholders meeting and as such discussions were not held. I had intended to say it right in their presence. Their entire support structure have already collapsed into the APC”.
“I personally know that Idu directed his structure to collapse into APC and he himself is clandestinely a member of the APC. Dr. Sam Egwu’s most reliable boy who was the Ebonyi North Zonal Vice Chairman for a long time, Barr. James Onah has joined the APC and that cannot happen without Dr. Egwu’s permission.
“Ali Odefa, his brother/his wife are in the trade of holding grounds in all political parties. So, what is the basis for handing over PDP to them? It is simply selling the party for destruction.”
