Factional Ebonyi PDP to probe lawmakers for anti-party activities

By Ogochukwu Anioke, AbakalikiFactional State Working Committee (SWC) of the Ebonyi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed some top party members to appear before its disciplinary committee for alleged anti-party activities.This was contained in a statement by Chairman Onyekachi Nwebonyi, and Secretary Simon Anyigo.The Nwebonyi-led faction had suspended some top party members in November 2020 following Governor David Umahis defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC). But members of the executive were sacked by the national leadership, and a caretaker committee, led by Fred Udogu, was set up to oversee the partys affairs.But the Nwebonyi-led executive announced the suspension of the National Assembly members, the caretaker committee members and two members of the House of Assembly for alleged anti-party activities.It also challenged its dissolution by the national leadership at the Federal High Court.The court last week sacked the Udogu-led caretaker committee and quashed the dissolution of the state executive.The Nwebonyi-led SWC said yesterday that those it suspended last year for alleged anti-party activities should appear before the disciplinary committee. He promised that nobody would be victimised.Those to appear before the disciplinary committee are former governor, now Senator Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North); Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central) and Senator Micheal Ama-Nnachi (Ebonyi South).The statement reads: The SWC of the PDP, led by Onyekachi Nwebonyi, warns all members and office holders who may want to indulge in anti-party activities to refrain from such as the party will not condone that.Those who indulge in such acts will be disciplined in accordance with the partys constitution. Those who are under suspension are also advised to appear before the disciplinary committee as nobody will be victimised.But Publicity Secretary of the Udogu-led caretaker committee, Silas Onu, said members of the Nwebonyi-led led SWC were no longer members of the PDP. He said Nwebonyi lacks the locus standi to ask party members to appear before his purported disciplinary committee, and so no one will appear before the committee.He said: There is no disciplinary committee of the PDP in Ebonyi State, and no member of the PDP will appear before any committee set up by Nwebonyi. Nwebonyi is no longer a member of the PDP. There is a judgment but we do not accept it.The judge is not a member of PDP and cannot claim to be more interested in a party matter. We are appealing the judgment and those purportedly suspended will not appear because we do not recognise Nwebonyi as a member of the PDP.
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