Ahead of the planned defection of Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi to the ruling party on Thursday, National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mai Mala Buni, and Some Governors elected on the platform of the party will be in Ebonyi today Wednesday ahead of the event.
Correspondent reports that the APC Governors will be hosted by Umahi at a cocktail party which will take place at Pent House, Governor’s lodge, new government House Abakaliki by 7:pm today, Wednesday according to the state government programme manifest.
According to the manifest, dignitaries to be at the event include; the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chief Francis Nwifuru, APC and PDP stakeholders, members of the state House of Assembly, Commissioners, council Chairmen among others.
Businessday, observed a heavy presence of security around the new and old government house, Abakaliki following the visit of the APC Governors to the state ahead of Umahi’s defection to the party tomorrow.
Meanwhile, PDP NWC has announced the dissolution of the state exco of the party and constituted Caretaker Committee led by elder Fred Udogu to run its affairs.
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A statement dated 18th November 2020 signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the party named Chief Fred Udeogu as Chairman and Barr. Luke Nkwegu as Secretary. Dr. Gideon Osi was named as Publicity Secretary while Hon. James Alaka is the Organizing Secretary.
Mrs. Amaka Igboke is Women Leader, Barr Mudi Irenede Legal Adviser and Barr. Ibeshi.
“The decision of the NWC in this regard is pursuant to the powers conferred on it by the provisions of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended).
“All our leaders, members and teeming supporters in Ebonyi state and the southeast are by this guided accordingly”, the statement said.
But in a swift reaction to the dissolution, Barr Onyekachi Nwebonyi the embattled PDP Chairman said he remains the state Chairman until 2024 having been elected recently into the office.
“My attention has been drawn to a press release by the national publicity secretary of the PDP that the National Working Committee of the PDP has dissolved the Ward, Local Government, and the State Executive Committees of the party in Ebonyi State because of Governor David Umahi’s planned defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC. It is laughable to think that the NWC would just get up and dissolve a state executive committee because the governor or a few individuals want to leave the party. We are in charge of the party in Ebonyi State for the next four years having been duly elected for a four-year term recently. Our tenure will elapse in 2024 and nobody has the power to dissolve the state executives
