…“Recant or Lose Your Stools”, Chime Orders Royal Fathers
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Awgu Local Government of Enugu State has denied endorsing the senatorial ambition of the Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime.
This is even as the contest for the Enugu East Senatorial seat between the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu and Governor Sullivan Chime has taken a dangerous twist following a directive to two royal fathers from Ezeagu Local Government Area by Governor Chime through the State Chairman of the PDP, Engr. Vita Abba to recant their endorsement of Senator Ekweremadu for any future political office or lose their stools.
A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the PDP in the Local Government, Hon. Raphael Okonkwo, described the news item published by a national daily as “mischievous, misleading and intended to create disaffection and confusion in our great party in the Local Government”.
The statement reads in part: “We acknowledge the fact that Governor Sullivan Chime has done well in the provision of infrastructure in the state in the same way that Senator Ike Ekweremadu has attracted numerous constituency projects to the senatorial zone. We thank both men for their commitment to the upliftment of our area and urge them not to relent in their efforts. We know that Awgu LG People’s Assembly has endorsed and adopted Senator Ike Ekweremadu as their preferred candidate, as well as Umuada Greater Awgu and Awgu LG Youths Forum, but that is not PDP.
“The foregoing observation notwithstanding, none of the two mentioned above or any other aspirant for that matter has approached the Awgu LG PDP to declare their intentions or seek our endorsement and therefore it amounts to setting the cart before the horse for any person or group of persons to go public with such scandalous claim and inputting same to Awgu LG PDP.”
The statement insists that the “Awgu LG chapter of the PDP has at no time endorsed any aspirant to any position, not in the least for the Senatorial seat of Enugu-west”.
The party blamed the publication on “certain persons in the LG, occupying various positions in the state government (who) have resorted to taking actions and making political statements suggestive of serious rancor between Governor Chime and Senator Ekweremadu, even without consulting the party”.
“We frown at and condemn this unilateral political actions and high-handedness and urge those concerned to quickly retrace their steps as the Awgu LG PDP would not be intimidated or blackmailed into any hasty endorsement of any aspirant much as such aspirants have the freedom to canvass their intentions”, the statement emphasised.
Meanwhile, two traditional rulers who were part of a delegation of Ezeagu Local Government Stakeholders and Leaders of Thought, which paid an appreciation visit to the Deputy President of the Senate in Enugu penultimate week for the many development projects attracted to Ezeagu communities are on the verge of losing their stools unless they recant on their people’s support for the Deputy Senate President.
The two royal fathers who were handed the directive were Igwe Raphael Okolo of Iwolo community and Igwe John Nwakaeze of Oha Ndiagu.
However, Igwe Harford Agana of Olo, who also doubles as the Chairman of Enugu West Traditional Rulers Council and Igwe Igbonekwu of Umana Ndiagu who were also part of the delegation were not that lucky as their perceived offence were said to be unpardonable, hence would be met with a stiffer punishment. It is feared that both royal fathers may lose their stools.
In their address, the said: “We are witnesses to the construction of rural roads, provision of water boreholes, transformers, rural electrification projects, health centres, youth development and empowerment centres, and a lot more.
“We have benefitted from you and want to assure you that we the Ezeagu people are solidly behind you; we will not hesitate to give you unalloyed support in any of your future political quests; you can always count on us”, he assured.
The Ezeaagu Stakeholders and Leaders of Thought insisted that “people should be allowed to make their choice of representatives of their own freewill based on the pedigree, antecedents, and integrity of available candidates”.
However, sources within the Government House and Enugu PDP said Governor Chime and his close allies were peeved by the visit, which they considered inimical to the Governor’s ambition to take over the senatorial seat currently occupied by the Deputy President of the Senate in 2015.
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