Umahi orders sealing of PDP state congress’ venue, party calls it ‘useless and unimaginable’

[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]

Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi, has directed security agencies to seal-off the Salt Lake Hotel owned by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator representing Ebonyi Central Zone, Chief Obinna Ogba.

The hotel also serves as temporary office of the PDP in the state.

This is as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP in the state, Elder Fred Udeogu, said there was no iota of truth in Umahi’s allegation, which he called ‘useless and unimaginable.’

Unmahi’s order came as both political parties prepare to hold state Congress polls, this Saturday, October 16, with the PDP scheduling its exercise at the hotel in question.

Umahi said his decision to seal the hotel followed information that its disloyal All Progressives Congress (APC) members were planning a parallel state congress inside the facility.

Umahi alleged that one Festus Nwakparata had posted that he was coming to conduct a parallel congress for the APC, naming the PDP’s temporary office as venue.

Umahi stated this during a stakeholders meeting of the APC, at the Ecumenical Centre Abakaliki, on Friday.

According to the governor, no form of activity, either political or economical must take place at the hotel, Saturday.

“I can’t remember his name. They said is Kenneth Nwakparata and that he wants to conduct parallel Congress tomorrow and where he wants to conduct the Congress is Salt Lake Hotel, at Obinna Ogba’s hotel.

“That letter he wrote is a fake news and I have declared him wanted. Anywhere you see him, bring him to the police and you will get N500,000

“I am cancelling any meeting there tomorrow (Saturday). The place should be sealed-off. There shall be no meeting there and the CP must ensure nothing takes place there and that the entire place must be beefed up with security.

“But if you want to try, you try and go there and see what will happen. I am the Chief Security Officer of the state and it is my duty to maintain law and order….Ebonyi State is APC,” Umahi said during the meeting.

Meanwhile, Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP in the state, Elder Fred Udeogu, same Friday, has described Umahi’s allegation as both ‘useless and unimaginable,’ as he further accused the governor of looking for ways to close the hotel which now serves as temporary secretariat of the PDP since his defection to the APC early in the year.

Udeogu said: “I state categorically that the information coming from Umahi is as useless as it is unimaginable. As far as I am concerned, the owner of this hotel is a bonafide member of the PDP. It is not easy for even an APC man to even come here to use this place for anything.  The level of non-communication between PDP and APC is so diametric.

“Because as far as I know, the owner of this place is a genuine and bonafide member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ebonyi State, and is a distinguished Senator.

“We have different ways of playing this game of politics, and it is not easy for even an APC man to come here and host something.

“Since I came into this place, November last year, I’ve never seen any APC person come here on daily basis, and I do not know what an APC person will be coming to do here.”

Udeogu alleged that the Governor has been looking for reasons to seal the hotel, and may have put up the “flimsy” and “directionless” allegation to perfect his intention.

“We are both 58 years and we are all adults, and at that age one should be more responsible and not behave like children.

“How can somebody just stand up, attending his party’s congress and start being trivial, instead of concentrating on what you are doing, and out of want of what to say, to tell the world that you are going to seal somebody’s business.

“How can he be so myopic? Let him come and seal it, let’s see.

“I’m sorry to say that some people don’t have advisers. I’m just appealing that the God of sincerity and justice should get into the leadership of this State.”

On Saturday’s event, Udeogu said the party had concluded every necessary arrangement to ensure a hitch-free state Congress scheduled for today, Saturday, October 16, 2021.

Udeogu also explained that the party resorted to using private facilities for it Congresses and programmes, because the ruling All Progressives Congress administration in the state, would not allow them use Government-owned facilities.

He said the party was prepared to conduct a free and fair State Congress, adding that security agencies had been notified of the exercise.

He assured that there was not going to imposition of any kind on party.

“For our State Congress, we are ready and prepared. We have written and informed the Nigeria Police Force; the Department of States Services; the Nigerian Army; the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and others. We are aware of how the security situation of the environment is currently and that was why we wrote them, so they can provide security for us. The INEC has also been notified and anything outside this, you are already out of the law.

“And this is not the kind of Congress you find in other political parties, where people are forced or imposed on the people against their will. In our party, the PDP, there has never and there won’t be imposition. Anybody trying to foist candidates on party faithful against their will, will have it so hot with himself or herself. We want to allow the party members choose their leaders.

“We have already secured a venue for the Congress, because we are law-abiding party. We have avoided Government property or facilities and so we are going to use private facilities, in the state. We are very much aware the state government would not even approve any for us, should we decide to use a government-owned property. Even though we know that the National Broadcasting Commission gives all parties the right to use all states and national stations for the programmes, but we don’t use the ones in Ebonyi State, because we know how the government operates and, it’s very hostile to the opposition. We have been using radio stations in Enugu and others, for the dissemination of our programmes. It is that bad.

“I want you people to appreciate one good thing about this party, the PDP. Right from the time of the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, PDP has been consistent in winning Ebonyi State. I don’t know the secret; we have been winning here and there won’t be a difference come 2023.”