Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi South Senatorial Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Feb 3rd 2024 By-election in the state, Barrister Silas Onu has accused Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the National Organising Secretary of PDP, Umar Bature, of masterminding the leadership crisis in the Ebonyi State chapter of the PDP.
In a statement issued in Abakaliki, Barrister 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, South-East, Ali Odefa, to destroy the party in the zone.
According to Onu, “it has become public knowledge that the Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has been riddled in leadership crisis for sometime now. This crisis is rooted in Governor Seyi Makinde’s ambition of running for President on the platform of the PDP in 2027.”
“He had secured the slavish loyalty of the National Vice Chairman, South-East Zone as his anchorman for that zone. The NVC in his bid to show loyalty has literally destroyed the PDP the zone. During the 2023 General Election, the PDP National Organizing Secretary created the highest level of confusion in the conduct of congresses that the party lost so much grounds engaged in internal disputes.”
“The same is ongoing now, 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 faithful 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,” Onu stressed.
The PDP Senatorial Candidate therefore warned that if the list submitted by stakeholders from Ebonyi is altered on the orders of anyone, they would allow them to run the party aground as they desire.
