BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party in Ebonyi State has accused the Speaker of the state House of Assembly and 14 other members of forgery and perjury, making reference to the attempted forceful removal of Rt. Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa from his position as Deputy Speaker.
The state Chairman of the PDP, Tochukwu Okorie, while briefing journalists shortly after the party’s meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital, on Wednesday, said that forgery of documents by the state lawmakers was not just an affront to constitutionalism but also an insult to the collective memory of the people of Ebonyi State in particular and Nigeria at large.
He stressed that “Attempted forceful removal of Rt. Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa is an effort in futility. I am happy to announce that the attempted coup d’etat that happened in the desecrated chambers of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly has failed.
“Let me state categorically that Odefa Obasi Odefa remains the undisputed substantive Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly as at today, February 22, 2022.
“It is trite saying that you cannot put something on nothing. Therefore, falsehood, forgery, lies and impunity cannot and will never be allowed to take over the Ebonyi State parliament irrespective of the powers behind such evil move.
“The disgraceful document flying around purporting to be a resignation letter by the Deputy Speaker is nothing but an act of forgery perpetrated by no less a person than the (former) Speaker of the EBHA, Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, leading a handful of other members.
“It is a huge shame that the leadership of the House could descend into such petty crime and criminality to commit forgery and perjury, telling brazen lies, all in an effort to victimize the Deputy Speaker for daring the demigod of Ebonyi Government House by reaffirming his membership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
“The Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State has now, more than ever, been vindicated by this show of shame and the total desecration of the altar of democracy and rule of law by a few renegade lawmakers who, on the backing of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, made attempt at truncating democracy and the rule of law in Ebonyi State.
Reacting, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Simbad Ogbuatu, said, “Ignore the drowning voice of Mr Tochukwu Okorie who is only acting according to the script given to him.
“It is very abysmal that the PDP has failed woefully especially in its act of being a competent opposition to a wailing political party.
“Where one man stops is where another starts. It is childish and insensitive for any political party. If
you are not satisfied, you go to court to seek for redress.”
