Ebonyi PDP Chairman hails A’ Court victory, preaches peace

From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki

The embattled Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Mr Tochuku Okorie, has hailed the declaration by Court of Appeal on Monday which affirmed him the authentic Chairman of the PDP in the State.

Mr Okorie, in a press statement issued on Tuesday, titled: “PDP, this is our victory” said it was a victory for the entire members of the Party in the State.

Mr Silas Onu who contested the chairmanship position with Okorie in a Congress that was conducted last year, had filed a suit asking a Federal High Court in Abuja to declare him the winner of the election, on the grounds that Mr Okorie purchased and submitted his chairmanship form after the deadline set for doing so by the party had elapsed.

Ruling on the matter, the Court had agreed with Mr Onu and consequently sacked Okorie and directed the Party to recognize the Plaintiff as the authentic Chairman of the Party.

Okorie, however, appealed the judgement.

On Monday, the Appeal Court, Abuja division, in its ruling, upturned the position of the lower Court and reinstalled Okorie.

Mr Okorie in the statement hailing his Victory, called on the members of the party to end the disagreements, as the time to move forward had come.

He called on both aspirants, and candidates for various elective positions  in the PDP to close ranks with one another and work together to revive the love and brotherhood that gave the party victories since 1999 till date in the State.

Okorie further called on aggrieved members of the party to explore internal mechanisms in seeking peaceful resolutions of their grievances and let all hands be on deck working together for their collective victory.

“Yesterday, August 15, 2022 the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja summarily restored the mandate freely given to me by the members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the substantive Chairman of the party in Ebonyi State. I congratulate all our teeming members, unrelenting supporters, leaders, stakeholders and the entire Ndi-Ebonyi on this momentous victory.

“This victory is indeed our victory and I am humbled by the outpouring of love, solidarity and goodwill that have been showered on me, and most especially the way our members have tenaciously stood by me and the party throughout this period.

“I am therefore using this opportunity to implore our members to end the disagreements as the time to move forward is now.

“In a few weeks campaigns for the 2023 general elections will kick off in full steam. PDP remains the only grassroots party in Ebonyi State, the PDP remains the hope of restoration for the oppressed people of our dear Ebonyi State, the PDP remains the hope and the way forward for Ndi Ebonyi. The time to recalibrate is now.

“Consequently, in this collective victory, I am calling on all members of our party, aspirants, and candidates for various elective positions under our beautiful umbrella to close ranks with one another. Let’s work together to revive the love and brotherhood that gave us victories since 1999 till date. Let us be reminded that PDP has hardly lost election in Ebonyi State.

“In the next few days, we shall be rolling out our plans for greater PDP in Ebonyi State. The PDP is one united family, despite the fact that we may have different orientations, ambitions, and group loyalties, we are united under the capable umbrella.

“Let me specifically call on aggrieved members of the party to explore internal mechanisms in seeking peaceful resolutions of their grievances and let all hands be on deck working together for our collective victory. I want to assure us all that we shall keep our eyes on the ball and, God willing, will eventually achieve the desired outcome. PDP is the most entrenched and dominant party in Ebonyi State. This is the fact that must now be re-enacted.

“Thank you all as I look forward to leading a united Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State,” Okorie stated.