Rumoured suspension: Peddlers plotting to rig PDP primaries

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi, Mr Silas Onu, has debunked the rumour about his purported suspension by his Obiozara Ward.

Onu described the rumour as baseless, saying that the peddlers were plotting to rig the upcoming party’s primaries in the state.
He spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakiliki on Monday, while reacting to his purported suspension by his ward in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

He urged party faithful in the state and across the country to disregard the rumour, saying that the ward did not at any time suspend him.
He said: “I remain a bona fide member of the party and its chairman in Ebonyi, focussed on ensuring total victory in the 2023 general elections.

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“We have identified two gubernatorial aspirants, who are desperate to clinch the ticket and have resorted to all sorts of gimmicks to achieve their aims.

“Any person or group can write letters to the party’s national leadership but that does not change the facts,” Onu said.
He gave assurance that the party would entrench fairness during the primaries to ensure the emergence of a credible and popular candidate.

“I will not be distracted by their antics,” he said, adding that the party is strong, united and determined to succed during the general elections.
“They recently progagated the falsehood that I was arrested but failed.
“Now, they are peddling the rumour purporting my suspension.

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“I will ensure that no aspirant or group falsifies the results of the primaries or succeeds with other forms of electoral malpractice,” Onu said.
He advised aspirants to adhere to the party’s laid down rules, warning that thuggery and violence would not be tolerated.

“Any one who feels capable of clinching the ticket should be ready to test his or her popularity in the field and not engage in unwholesome acts,” he said.
The state Publicity Secretary, Mr Chika Nwoba, described the publication of the chairman’s alleged suspension in a section of the media as malicious.

“This is another futile attempt to distract the hardworking chairman and it has failed even before they published their lies.
“The Obiozara ward’s executive got wind and raised an alarm that this phantom suspension letter would be released.
“The executive duly published a notice against it on a national daily on May 14,” Nwoba added in a statement.

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He further stated that persons, whose names appeared in the fake suspension letter, “are not even aware of such document”.

According to him, the ward secretary, who allegedly signed the letter, is the nephew of the state chairman. (NAN)