Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
With nine days to the presidential and national assembly elections, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State, has lost its Vice Chairman Abia South zone, Chief David Chigbu.
The former PDP chieftain resigned his membership of the party and declared support for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, senatorial candidate for Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
He described the PDP as “a nest of liars” which had failed to deliver on its campaign promises.
Chigbu who was the PDP Vice Chairman in charge of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu ‘s Abia South, said he would not support the senatorial ambition of the Governor who he said had not distinguished himself as Governor for almost eight years.
He described the PDP as “a fraud,” saying the party “has thrown the state under the bus.”
Chigbu said he had to leave now “before the total collapse of what remains of PDP,” which he said, had sunk into all time desperate and panicky position.
The former PDP chieftain said he was supporting Abaribe because he had been the only known voice for the entire South-East in the Senate .
“Abaribe is a symbol of what integrity and resilience is, even in the face persecution,” he said, adding that “no right thinking Igbo man in Abia and elsewhere will choose an innate leadership against an Abaribe who today is an embodiment of Igbo renaissance.”
“Abia under PDP has become a laughing stock and a butt of jokes among Nigerians, particularly now,” he added.
“We must all join hands to rescue this state from the rapacious invaders who are holding the state hostage this time. My resignation is a patriotic duty to join other well meaning Abians to stop the PDP from further raping our dear state with their avowed quest for primitive acquisition of wealth. Enough is enough.”
“I decided to resign because I see PDP as a fraud. I see PDP as a party that is deceiving Abians. PDP has a presidential Candidate in Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and formerly a Governorship Candidate in Professor Uche Ikonne who just passed away and today there is a new Candidate in Chief Okey Ahaiwe.”
Chigbu flayed Ikpeazu over his sabotage of the presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar, but at the same time canvasing support for his anointed successor, describing that as double standard.
He also claimed that the PDP was owing him and other officials of the party their allowances.
“The Presidential Candidate was in Umuahia but how many people were in the stadium during the rally? At the end of the day, where was the number one citizen of Abia State and many other party leaders on a day the Presidential Candidate visited Abia? We have a new Governorship Candidate that they want to market and get Abians to vote for him, but he came into the Stadium like an orphan.
“PDP is a party that does not take advice from anybody. I am the zonal Chairman of Abia South as well as the State Vice Chairman. In the office, I am not recognised. Why would you pocket the little allowances of ward officers, including my allowances? PDP as of today is owing me allowances of over 20 million naira, I am a founding member of PDP. I said I could not continue because I am not comfortable with what is happening in the party anymore”
“For instance one of my zonal officers and a State Exco member ( Barr Eze Onwuma) attended a meeting and he was accused of having a romance with the YPP Governorship Candidate who is his cousin.
“The Governor and Senator Abaribe are my brothers, now I cannot talk or associate with anybody because of party. Our party zonal office at Aba is owing for over one year now and the Party had refused to pay our rent even when I have made several demands for the payment, let me tell you, if not senator Abaribe who had been paying our zonal office rent in the past we would have been evicted long time ago,” he stated.
On the controversy trailing the nomination of a running mate to Chief Okey Ahaiwe, he alleged that the decision was taken without consulting the State Working Committee.
“I told the Chairman that Late Professor Ikonne has a running mate, in Barrister Okey Igwe, why would the party change him without informing the SWC or the EXCO? It was embarrassing to learn of it in the media. The story is that he has dual citizenship and I am wondering if the party did not see it in the first instance. A lot of people are tired of PDP and PDP will not win,” he said.
