*Calls for calm
By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural In the Diaspora (AEISCID) has blamed dirty politics for the delisting of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate’s names from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal.
The group which had earlier declared support for the Ebonyi state PDP’s governorship candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, however, asked voters and party supporters to be calm over the development, insisting there is no cause for alarm.
There were reports of sudden disappearance of names of the National Assembly candidates of opposition PDP in Ebonyi state from the portal of the INEC.
But in a statement released on Wednesday by the AEISCID President (World-wide) Amb. Paschal Oluchukwu, cautioned INEC to be wary of antics of some fifth columnists within it’s ranks and files.
According to the statement, the Supreme Court of Nigeria in September 2022, twice declared a business mogul, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii and all the candidates wielding tickets under his line up as the authentic candidates of the PDP.
“We at the Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural In the Diaspora, AEISCID received the astonishing and trending news of the sudden disappearance of names of the National Assembly candidates of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State from the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC) with loads of reservations.
“For us, we consider this sad development as bizarre politics taken rather too far by those we believe should rather be joining hands to ensure the Party secures victory in the February 25th and March 11th general elections in Ebonyi State. This group is aware of the many political bickerings that held sway in Ebonyi PDP before, during and even after the Party’s primaries.
“AESICID is also in the know of the decisions of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in September last year whereby the apex Court twice declared a business mogul, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii and all the candidates wielding tickets under his line up as the authentic candidates of the party.
“As a good party man who’s genuinely interested in the peace, unity and stability of the party, this socio-cultural group is also up to speed on the numerous commendable efforts and overtures made by Odii and indeed his team to reconcile and unite all aggrieved members of the party.
“Our findings showed that whereas, a few of the party leaders on the other hand sincerely embraced the olive branch, the rest merely pretended, while plotting and waiting to sabotage the efforts of the party to reclaim the state through the instrumentality of the ballot.
“It was therefore dangerous politics taken to the extreme in our estimation that some individuals could connive with enemies of the party and the desperate government of the day in Ebonyi (as being alleged in some quarters) to partner with some extraneous forces within and outside the electoral umpire to remove names of candidates some of who has no court cases as claimed by the INEC in it’s portal.
“Rather than take it’s campaigns to the hinterlands, we have observed that the Umahi-led APC government in Ebonyi which is awfully scared to face the electorates have resorted to underhand tactics and desperate politics of scheming out the opponents they are afraid of. No matter their antics, we still assure them of the outright rejection of the Ebonyi electorates whom they have mis-governed and vilified with their anti-people’s policies and programmes.”
While asking the people of Ebonyi to massively support Chief Odii as the next governor of the state, the group the PDP governorship candidate as a credible alternative to meet the yearnings of Ebonyians.
“We, however urge the supporters of the PDP- a party we have found as a credible alternative to meet the needs and yearnings of beleaguered Ebonyians especially with the candidacy of Chief Odii and other PDP candidates to please remain calm and peaceful as we are aware that the leaders are on top of the matter and working hard to ensure that the party and all it’s candidates are not short changed ahead of the February 25th and March 11th polls. There’s no cause for alarm even as we caution INEC to be wary and careful of antics of some fifth columnists within it’s ranks and files.
“This group however, reaffirmed it’s firm stand and untainted support for the PDP’s Governorship candidate, Chief Odii, and indeed all other candidates of the party and urge Ebonyi electorates to vote massively for them and the party as they remain the candidates and team with the best people-focused manifesto.”
