Ebonyi PDP to Elechi: We are sorry

Afraid that he may work against the interest of the party during the general elections, the Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has apologised to Governor Martin Elechi for the way he was treated during the primaries.
The crisis between the governor and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, reached the peak during the primaries as the governor was stopped from getting a senatorial ticket. His preferred candidate for the governorship seat and former Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, was also prevented from getting the ticket by forces loyal to Anyim. The Deputy Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, got the ticket and schemed out the governor.
The Acting Party Chairman, Chief Joseph Onwe, made the apology in Abakaliki on Friday during its State Executive Council (SEC) meeting convened by the governor.
Onwe appealed to the governor to forgive the party for all the wrong doings because as his children, the party still needed him to succeed in the elections.
“We still thank you for gathering us together after a long time because we need to be together to record resounding victory at the polls.
“We plead that you attend the official flag-off of our campaign on Jan. 12, even if it is for five minutes as our leader in this state,’’ he said.
Elechi berated the party for not informing him of the proposed flag-off, noting that it proved that there was serious impunity going on in the party.
“You are talking about me attending the PDP rally beginning from Monday but what will have happened if I did not convene this meeting?.
“How could I have known that you are starting the campaign on Monday as I was not even informed of the flag-off even as the leader of the party in the state.
“This is an unimaginable destabilising act as whenever we blame others for our problems, we should examine our consciences to see if we are free,” Elechi said.
He noted that the main aim of the meeting was to inform the people of President Jonathan’s intending presidential visit on January16.
“We are calling on our members to mobilise for the president, we should also co-opt politicians from other parties and those who do not belong to any party,” he said.