A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic party, PDP, in Ebonyi State, Barrister Silas Onu has accused Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde and the national organising secretary of the party, Umar Bature, of masterminding the leadership crisis in the state chapter of the Party.
Onu, who was the Ebonyi South senatorial candidate of the PDP in the February 3, 2024, by-election, said the leadership crisis in the Ebonyi PDP is rooted in Governor Makinde’s ambition of running for the presidency on the platform of the PDP in 2027.
The party stalwart in a statement he made available to newsmen alleged that the alteration in the list of members of the caretaker committee of the PDP in the state is part of the hatchet jobs which Makinde had conscripted the PDP national vice chairman (South-East), Ali Odefa, to destroy the party in the zone.
According to him, “It has become public knowledge that the Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has been riddled in leadership crisis for sometime now. This crisis is rooted in Governor Seyi Makinde’s ambition of running for President on the platform of the PDP in 2027”.
“He had secured the slavish loyalty of the National Vice Chairman, South East Zone as his anchorman for that zone. The NVC in his bid to show loyalty has literally destroyed the PDP the zone. During the 2023 General Election, the PDP National Organizing Secretary created the highest level of confusion in the conduct of congresses that the party lost so much grounds engaged in internal disputes.
“The same is ongoing now; Umar Bature is disorganising the party in Ebonyi State on the orders of Governor Seyi Makinde. On Tuesday, 4th June, 2024, a statewide stakeholders meeting was called by the NWC and party faithful from Ebonyi state came in their numbers to attend this meeting.
“During the meeting, the acting national chairman and the national organising secretary assured attendees that any decision reached at the meeting will be implemented because all key stakeholders were aware of the meeting and anyone who knowingly absents himself will be bound by the decisions”.
“On the issue of caretaker committee, the NoS insisted that each LGA in Ebonyi State must submit a name immediately for the list to be published the following day. This was complied with and then the drama began again.
“The NoS began to change names submitted by the stakeholders and I called him to know why. He explained that His Excellency Dr. Sam Egwu and the national vice chairman (South East) zone (who deliberately stayed away from the meeting because they had no grassroots support) have reported him to the Governors Forum where he was summoned and directed to alter the list in favour of these individuals. This explanation wasn’t what was agreed upon in an open meeting and the trust of members was being sacrificed for the ambition of one man that is a governor in South-West.”
Onu also alleged that some prominent members of PDP including a former governor of the state, Senator Sam Egwu and the member representing Afikpo North and Edda Federal Constituency, Hon. Idu Igariwey were persons whose wives were leading figures in Ebonyi APC.
He therefore warned that if the list submitted by stakeholders from Ebonyi is altered on the orders of anyone, they will allow them to run the party aground as they desire.
