Ebonyi PDP Crisis Deepens as Elechi Plans Protest osundefender.org/?p=196413 Barring any change in plans, Ebonyi State Governor, Martins Elechi, will tuesday mobilise his aides and appointed local government administrators for a protest at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Abuja. The protest would be a fallout of the protracted crisis in the state since the governor anointed a former minister from the state as his successor. It would be recalled that major stakeholders in the state have been at loggerheads with the governor following accusations of high handedness. For instance, a pro-Jonathan rally organised by the Ebonyi State Governor, Martin’s Elechi at the weekend was completely boycotted by all the major stakeholders in the state, as the podium was occupied by only the governor, his wife, Josephine, and the chairman of the occasion, Mr Fidelis Nwankwo. This was in spite of the fact that the governor has earlier ordered all local government chairmen and loyalists to bring people to the event and to also personally be present. According to findings, even with Elechi’s order to his men, the venue of the event was taken over by rival groups, with no visible evidence of his being in charge of the situation. Also, investigations revealed that the boycott of the event by the party and all prominent citizens of the state was due to the governor’s continued resolve to inform stakeholders about party affairs, rather than consult and work for consensual positions on major issues. However, Elechi yesterday alleged that some politicians, who are contesting elective positions in the 2015 general election were sabotaging President Goodluck Jonathan’s efforts towards building a united Nigeria. The governor said this at the solidarity rally in support of President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration for President at the Abakaliki Township Stadium. Elechi added that President Jonathan has portrayed himself as a true Nigerian by refusing to discriminate against anybody irrespective of tribe, religion, language and socio-political affiliation even in the face of opposition. “We are here for a purpose; to thank the man who is the greatest gift to Nigerians. Nigerians are begging him to continue his agenda for total transformation of Nigeria. We thank God for giving us Jonathan. We are happy for him. Some are pretending to be working for him while they are sabotaging him”, the governor said. He stressed that the choice of former Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, as the state consensus candidate was not his making but a public declaration. Elechi urged all Ebonyians not to vote for people of questionable character in the 2015 general election. He noted that despite provocations against the government by the opposition party members, he appealed to the people not to result to violence to ensure a free, fair and credible election in 2015. Recall that a court of competent jurisdiction had upheld the results of the Ebonyi state party primaries and quashed the objections of Elechi and his supporters. Coming against the background of a decision of the House not to allow the governor to take a loan of N15 billion without first accounting for the N16 billion borrowed earlier, it seems Elechi’s hold and relevance had waned irretrievably. With a letter of protest to Mr. President from major stakeholders in the state our investigations show that the planned protest at the party headquarters is a last ditch effort by the governor to reclaim his lost relevance in the party affairs of the state.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 22:39:25 +0000
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