The Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, Enugu State chapter, Wednesday, expressed utter disappointment over the report in some national dailies traced to the Enugu State Government alleging plans by the State chapter of TAN to scuttle the rally being organised by the Enugu State Movement for Re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The report further alleged that TAN Enugu, working with a federal lawmaker, had slated Electoral Ward meetings of TAN Enugu to distribute money for this purpose.
In a statement signed by Mr. Ugulu O. Ugulu, Publicity Secretary of TAN Enugu State Chapter, the group said the allegations were frivolous, baseless and laughable.
The statement said: “It is a global knowledge that TAN is the flagship organisation in the campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, yet is on record that the Enugu State Government had serially misused police in either scuttling or attempting to scuttle the meetings of TAN in the State.
“It could also be recalled that the Enugu State Government was the only South East State not officially represented at the first geopolitical zonal rally of TAN held in Awka, Anambra State on 17thAugust 2014.
“Instead, Governor Chime preferred to lead the entire State Executive Council and seventeen Local Government Council Chairmen to a birthday party in Umuahia and further directed the State Chairman of the PDP to summon PDP local government executive council meeting by 12 noon the same day of the rally.
“It is also further on record that the Enugu State Government was the only South East state that refused to collect the TAN registers for the collection of signatures in support of the Jonathan 2015 project.
“It was the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who eventually saw to the distribution of the registers to all nooks and crannies of the State and sponsored the mobilization and transportation of the mammoth crowd that attended the Awka rally from Enugu.
“In a manner typical of its opposition to the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan as the Acting President in 2010, the state government tried to scuttle the inauguration of TAN Coordinators for the 261 Electoral Wards of Enugu State a fortnight ago.
“It is therefore unfortunate that the latecomers who have been playing hide-and-seek in endorsing the President are the ones alleging attempts by TAN to scuttle its hasty and belated rally coming after an overwhelming population of Nigerians and all critical organs of the PDP had heeded TAN’s call and adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the party.
“We wish to state clearly that Mr. President having crossed the party hurdles, the said TAN Electoral Ward meetings were part of the pre-arranged follow-ups to senatorial district and local government meetings of TAN aimed at further percolating the nooks and crannies of Enugu State to mobilise a well-deserved support for the President.
“Indeed, TAN Enugu State chapter has no problems with any pro-Jonathan rallies or groups because the more the merrier; and we refuse to join issues with some chicken and petty political actors in Enugu State.”
