The Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State has flayed Governor David Umahi over threats to seal its temporary office in the State.
Both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress had scheduled their State Congresses for Saturday (today) in Abakaliki.
Umahi during a meeting of the APC stakeholders held at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki on Friday, threatened to seal off the PDP temporary office over allegations that it has been chosen as a venue for alleged APC parallel state congress.
Umahi alleged that one Festus Nwakparata had posted that he was coming to conduct a parallel congress for the APC, naming the PDP’s temporary office as venue.
Umahi threatened that he would order, before today, the sealing of the office, a hotel facility belonging to the representative of Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, Chief Obinna Ogba, also a staunch PDP member.
In a reaction before journalists in his office, same day, the Acting PDP State Chairman, Chief Fred Udeogu, described the allegation as both useless, baseless and unimaginable.
He maintained that the owner of the hotel, who released part of it to the party, has remained a genuine, bonafide member of the PDP, adding that Umahi’s allegations sounded ridiculous that such a facility would be used for APC event.
Udeogu further explained that the APC and the PDP had never before shared offices as each had always drafted their programmes differently in line with their timetables.
Udeogu said: “I can state categorically that the information you people have is as useless as it is unimaginable.
“Because as far as I know, the owner of this place is a genuine and bonafide member of the Peoples Democratic party, Ebonyi State, and is a distinguished Senator.
“We have different ways of playing this game, politics, and it is not easy for even an APC man to come here and host something.
“Since I came into this place, November last year, I’ve never seen any APC person come here on daily basis, and I do not know what an APC person will be coming to do here.”
Udeogu advised that the Governor should have done himself the favour of first confirming from the hotel management whether such event was booked in the hotel before issuing his threats.
Udeogu alleged that Umahi had been looking for reasons to seal the hotel, and may have put up the “flimsy” and “directionless” allegation to perfect his intention.
He questioned why an adult like the Governor should be behaving like a child in the name of politics, advising him to repent.
He said: “We are both 58 years and we are all adults, and at that age one should be more responsible and not behave like children.
“How can somebody just stand up, attending his party’s congress and start being trivial, instead of concentrating on what you are doing, and out of want of what to say, to tell the world that you are going to seal somebody’s business.
“How can he be so myopic?
“Let him come and seal it.
“Let’s see.
“I’m sorry to say that some people don’t have advisers.
“I’m just appealing that the God of sincerity and justice should get into the leadership of this State.”
Udeogu emphasiased that all was set for the PDP’s State convention on Saturday, adding that the party had about a month ago sent their timetable and gotten approval from the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Police and other security agencies.
He added that the party, aware of the kind of politics played by the Governor in the State, had always avoided government facilities for its events from the Ward to State level, adding that neither them nor Umahi and his party should nose into the other’s affairs.
In the same vein, the APC during its meeting has also harmonised activities and posts for its congress, assuring of a hitch-free exercise.
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