…threatens court action
The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Chairmanship candidate, Hon. Silas Onu, Saturday, disclosed that he was denied the Party’s chairmanship position in the state because he was a staunch supporter of the former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar.
The election which saw the emergence of Hon. Tochukwu Okorie, as the Chairman of PDP in Ebonyi state, was seriously challenged by Onu even as he threatened to take court action against the party.
Onu, who spoke to newsmen in Abakaliki, after the Congress insisted that there was no election, stating that his supporters were not allowed into the Congress venue to vote.
He accused the congress committee of breaching the guidelines and provisions stipulated by the party’s constitution regarding the conduct of congresses.
He noted: “There was no election. What happened was not befitting for stakeholders of the party. My delegates were not allowed into the venue to vote.
“As you know, congress is not just about election. Although, this is an elective congress, there is supposed to be series of meetings, discussions, you have accredition to know total number of voters, who they are among other things.
“It is not an all-comers affairs but to my greatest shock, the electoral committee came to the venue at about 1p.m asked everybody to go out and started accredition.
“It didn’t take up to 10 people before the crowd drove into the venue and I complained to Sen Ben-Collins Obi, that what we are doing is not election, no accredition and even in ballot papers votes were already precast”.
“I’m disappointed in the outcome, everything they have done went against the guidelines of this election; I’m disappointed that those whom we look up to as leaders are worse than dictators.
“This election, I’m the only person who qualified for it. This electoral committee did the screening, did the election, this is tell you that there is hatchet-man job.
“There was no election, I’m the only one who bought form on Sept. 14 and the deadline for submission was October 1 and I met every other requirement.
“It was on the screening date that all the aspirants including Mr Tochukwu Okorie, the purported winner were filling their forms.
“I will quickly challenge the illegality in court up to the highest level to ensure that the right thing is done,” he added.
On his part, Sen. Emmanuel Onwe, who represented Ebonyi Central in the Nigerian Senate, stated his disappointment over the manner the election was conducted.
He stated: “The fry pan to fire syndrome in Ebonyi state PDP has continued. But I’m optimistic that the anti democratic forces will be defeated.
“What happened today in our Congress was a disgrace to our democracy but it will be rectified because the forces that are determined to restore democracy in our great party are much more determined than ever before and the hooligans that think that democracy and consensus is the will of a strong man, they will be disappointed ultimately.