The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State has criticised the claim and forceful removal of the Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Odefa Obasi Odefa.
The State PDP Chairman, Mr Tochukwu Okorie, disclosed this to journalists during the press briefing after their enlarged stakeholders’ meeting at Salt lake Hotels in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
Okorie said the attempted removal of the Deputy Speaker is dead on arrival. “I am happy to announce that the attempted coup d’état that happened in the chambers of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly which sought to forcefully remove from office the Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa has failed. Let me state categorically, therefore, that Rt. Hon. Odefa remains the undisputed substantive Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
“It is a trite saying that you cannot put something on nothing. Therefore, falsehood, forgery, lies and impunity cannot and will never take over Ebonyi State parliament irrespective of the powers behind such a wrong move.”
“The disgraceful document flying around claiming to be a resignation letter by the Honourable Deputy Speaker is nothing but an act of forgery perpetrated by no less a person than the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru led by a handful of other members.
“It is a shame that the leadership of the House could descend into such petty criminality to commit forgery and perjury, telling lies, all to victimise the Deputy Speaker for daring the demigod of Ebonyi Government House by reaffirming his membership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP,” he added.
Okorie said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State has now more than ever been vindicated by this show of shame, the total desecration of the altar of democracy and the rule of law by a few renegade lawmakers who, on the backing of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State attempted truncating democracy and the rule of law in Ebonyi State.
Consequently, the claimed removal of the Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly and subsequent declaration of his seat as vacant is not just an affront to constitutionalism but an insult to the collective memory of the people of Ebonyi State and Nigeria at large.
“This aberration has failed as it cannot stand, shall never stand, and we are assuring the good people of Ebonyi State and all Nigerians that the PDP shall remain firm and on the side of the law and will explore all legal avenues to restore the confidence of the electorate in the state parliament.
“Similarly, as confirmed by their presence in the expanded state Working Committee Meeting of today and their presence in this press briefing, the jejune and forged letters read by 15 members of the House of Assembly to the effect that, Mr Oliver Osi and Mrs Ngozi Eziulo had resigned their membership of the PDP and subsequently defected to the APC is also another sad case of brazen forgery and defamation for which the individual lawmakers have already resolved to seek redress in appropriate courts of law,” he said
Okorie concluded by saying that the PDP in Ebonyi State will leave no stone unturned in a determined and spirited effort to restore normalcy, law and order in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly and bring to justice all those who have conspired and have committed such heinous crimes bringing the State institutions of democracy to shame.
On the contrary, the State Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, Mr Stanley Okoroemegha and the Speaker of Ebonyi House of Assembly, Mr Francis Nwifuru, had earlier alleged that they had the letter where the Deputy Speaker had resigned his membership of PDP to join APC.
E/Temitope O.
