GAME OVER AS EMBATTLED EBONYI PDP CHAIRMAN DEFECTS TO APC

Reporter : AMECHI ODO

The battle for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State appears to have come to an end following the resignation of Chief Onyekachi Nwaebonyi led faction from the party and his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chief Nwaebonyi led faction has been in court challenging the dissolution of the State Executive Committee of PDP in Ebonyi State by Prince Uche Secondus led National Working Committee.

Addressing the party faithful and stakeholders of APC at Abakaliki Township stadium, Chief Nwaebonyi said he resigned his membership from PDP along with other members of the Ward, Local Government and State Executive Committee of the party in response to the exclusion of PDP in Ebonyi State from the recently concluded zonal congress of the party in Enugu.

“It is worthy of note that the national and zonal leadership
of the party had intentionally excluded Ebonyi State Chapter
from the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) that organized
the recent zonal congress of the party.

“This is in total
disregard to the ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in
Abakaliki, which recognized the elected executives of the party in Ebonyi State.

“The national leadership of the party also blatantly rebuffed all efforts made by the leadership of the state chapter of the party for due process to be followed,” Chief Nwaebonyi said.

He also accused PDP National Working Committee of jettisoning zoning for its presidential ticket ahead of 2023 General Election.

“Daily Sun on Thursday, March 18, 2021 reported that the 2019 Election Review Committee of the PDP rejected zoning in the 2023 presidential election and recommended open bid for the party’s presidential ticket.

“This is a clear violation of the existing zoning arrangement of the party. This stand is
a sabotage of the genuine efforts and unalloyed support the
people of the Southeast have given for the success of the
party since 1999.

“It has shown that the power brokers in the
party are bent on marginalizing the Southeast, which is
contrary to the principle of federal character,” Chief Nwaebonyi noted.

He said he had defected to APC with the hope that the party would consider South East in the zoning of its presidential ticket.