Ebonyi 2023: ‘Face reality, congratulate Ifeanyi Odii’ – Anyichuks Grassroots Foundation advises Senator Ogba.

As the tussle for who is the legitimate flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 Governorship election in Ebonyi State continues, the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the AnyiChuks Grassroots Organization, representing Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has released a press statement advising Sen. Obinna Ogba and his supporters to face reality and congratulate Dr. Odii as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognized PDP candidate in the State.

Dr. Odii is said to have won the PDP Governorship Primaries conducted on May 28, 2022 while Senator Ogba was announced winner of a second PDP Governorship Primary conducted on the 4th and 5th of June 2022.

Sen. Ogba’s emergence, alongside other candidates in the second primaries, was however dismissed by a Federal High Court ruling by Justice F . O Riman on the strength of a petition filed by Dr. Odii challenging the legitimacy of the second PDP primaries with INEC backing it, that the primary was held without the Commission’s supervision, a violation of the electoral act.

The statement from the Anyichuks Grassroots Foundation is in view of the activities of Senator Ogba and his supporters following the Appeal Court ruling of July 19, 2022 which set aside the Federal High Court ruling in favour of Dr. Odii with a mandate for a retrial under a new judge to be assigned by the Chief Judge of the State.

In the Press release by the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the Anyichuks Grassroots Organization titled ” TIME TO OVERCOME SENTIMENTS AND FACE REALITY, ” Senator Ogba and his supporters were cautioned to “be lawful and law-abiding and stop grandstanding or making spurious/unfounded claims about the recent PDP Primaries in the state and the publication of the list of Party Candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Ebonyi State. ”

The statement read in part ” We appeal to Sen. Ogba to stop making bogus claims about the current political realities on ground. Rather, he should congratulate Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odi who has finally emerged as the PDP Governorship Candidate. We advise him to do so instead of whipping up sentiments and engaging in aberrant political behaviour which undermine party unity and cohesion.

” In the eyes of the people and the law, the only one with the PDP Governorship mandate for 2023 election is Dr. Odii. The mandate which Sen. Ogba claims to hold is a mirage. It never happened. The second primaries which he conducted on 4th and 5th June, 2022 and tenaciously clings to was an exercise in futility. It was never monitored by INEC. The only lawful, legitimate and legally binding primary election was the PDP primaries conducted on 28th and 28th May, 2022 which produced Dr. Odii and other PDP candidates and which INEC declared “conclusive” and “lawful.

” Sen. Ogba’s recent statement that “no man born of a woman will take away the Party’s ticket from me”, was nothing short of political extremism.

” Sen. Ogba’s claim of having been in the party from day one is not in doubt, but it borders on arrogant pomposity for him to claim that the PDP Governorship ticket should have been reserved for him, willy- nilly. He is not the oldest member of the party in the state, and even if he were to be, the ticket is not awarded on the basis of gerontocracy.

” The man who brought the PDP file from Dr. Alex Ekwueme to Ebonyi State was Chief Francis Oji, after the meetings of the G.34. He later handed over the file to Dr. Udo Oji Okoro who came down from Lagos to Abakaliki and started making consultations which set the stage for the formation of the party structure in the state. Dr. Okoro organized and inaugurated the pioneer Exco of the party. Chief G.O.C.Chukwu emerged as the pioneer Chairman while Mr. Irem Ibom was the pioneer Secretary.

” Ogba should be thankful to God for being one of the greatest beneficiaries in the party, for the heights he has attained in life. Power comes from God. According to Africa’s pioneer Literary Giant, Chinua Achebe, “those whose palm kernels were cracked by benevolent spirits, should not forget to be humble”. The PDP in the state must not die because of Ogba’s Governorship ambition or the ambition of any other fellow for that matter.

” Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, a young man of about 45 years may not have been with the pioneers since the inception of the party but he has paid his dues since he joined the party during the time of Chief Martin Elechi as the Governor of Ebonyi state.

” Ogba’s camp is about going beyond bars in their campaign of calumny. There is nothing they have not said about why he joined the Governorship race. They claim that Odii is being sponsored by Gov. David Umahi to destabilise the PDP. But Umahi has come out to demonstrate his vicious opposition against Dr. Odii by insisting that the next Governor must come from Ebonyi North. So, who is fooling who?

” Let us conclude by saying that Dr. Odii is not a Desperado. He is a good team player who is willing and ready to accommodate all and sundry. The time to come together for the common cause is now. United we stand but divided we fall,” Anyichuks Grassroots Organization concluded.

Findings by this reporter show that the Court of Appeal Judgement of July 19 did not declare Sen. Ogba the legitimate flagbearer of the PDP.

The judgement however nullifed the Federal High Court ruling of Justice F. O Riman with an order for retrial with Sen. Ogba’s notice to be joined in suit No. FHC/AI/C8/88/2022 to ” be heard and determined expeditiously, in view of the 180 days prescribed by law for the hearing and determination of pre- election matters. “