Defection: You stand alone- Ikwo LGA stakeholders tell Umahi

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AFTER A MEETING OF THE CONCERNED STAKEHOLDERS AND ELDERS OF IKWO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, HELD ON THE 28TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2020 AT ONUEBONYI ECHARA

We, the concerned stakeholders and elders of Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, have risen from a meeting on the political development and purported security report on a plot to unleash mayhem in the State, and have resolved to issue the following communiqué:

1. That the people of Ikwo are united in our resolve for peaceful and all-inclusive free political participation and condemn in strong terms the open brazen acts of blackmail and use of force to coerce people to defect with the Governor to APC.
2. That Ikwo people stand with the majority who still remain faithful to the Peoples Democratic Party because we have benefited maximally from the Party from 1999 to date. Ikwo has produced a Governor under PDP, Deputy Governor, 2 ministers, 2 Ambassadors and other Federal Boards, etc. We cannot afford to jettison these good gestures for a selfish one-man agenda.
3. That we, the people of Ikwo Noyo, completely dissociate ourselves from the planned launch of political violence by the Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, David Nweze Umahi, upon those who refused to join him to APC and opted to remain with the Peoples Democratic Party. We wish to use this medium to invite the attention of the President of this country, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and the national leadership of our great party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ably led by His Excellency, Uche Secondus on this demeaning and unwholesome attitude of Governor David Nweze Umahi and his brothers in Ebonyi State.
4. We also call on the Governor to allow Peoples Democratic Party members to be. He should note that he is infringing on our fundamental human rights by not allowing the Peoples Democratic Party freedom of association.
5. We, therefore, warn that our disposition for peace should not be taken for granted. Governor Umahi should leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alone and concentrate in solving myriads of problems he created for himself as we shall resist by all lawful means, all his unprovoked plot to undermine the peaceful stands of the elders and leaders of our Party in the State. God is not man and no man can liken himself to God. We must not all agree with you. Opposition is a component of democracy. In PDP, we are peace-loving but never take the humility for stupidity. After all, you had earlier referred to Abakaliki people as a foolish majority.
6. That from our investigation, Ikwo, just like the rest of Ebonyi State, is purely PDP and many members of the real APC are presently concluding plans to return to the PDP which is their root until Governor David Umahi frustrated them out of the Party.
7. That Ikwo which is the hub of the politics in Ebonyi State, has nothing to show for the past six years of Governor David Umahi’s administration. No single project has been sited in the twenty wards of Ikwo. This is a catastrophic failure of governance.
8. Ikwo Noyo stand with their leaders and other leaders of the State who have remained steadfast and keeping faith with the only political party known to the people of Ebonyi State – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). If you ask an old woman at Ikwo which party she will vote for, she will respond “Nchanwu”, meaning Party with Umbrella as symbol, that, is PDP.
9. That Ikwo people recognize the positive contributions made by the following illustrious sons of Ebonyi State for the growth of the party and the State in general:- Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu, Ambassador Lawrence Nwuruku, Senator Dr. Onwe, Chief Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Dr. Senator Sam Egwu, Senator Joe Obinna Ogba, Senator Ama Nnachi, Senator Igwe Nwagu, Senator Emmanuel Agboti, Hon. Idu-Igariwey, Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga, Hon. Nwazunku, Hon. Anayo Nwonu, Hon. Lazarus Ogbee, Hon. Engr. Makwe, Hon. Linus Okorie, Chief Ajim Best, Chief Ifeanyi Chuks, Chief Ali Odefa, to mention but a few, who have suddenly become enemies of Ebonyi State because of their refusal to defect with the Governor, David Nweze Umahi. This is the worst show of ungratefulness.
10. That we condemn in its entirety the use of unknown people to attack the leaders of Ebonyi State under the guise of politics and call on the Governor to direct his cronies in the State to stop insulting the great sons of the State to avoid the wrath of the people.
11. That Ikwo people note with sadness that the Governor has no single Ebonyi leader standing with him today, both from PDP and APC, and that is a testament to bad leadership. The Governor needs a special prayer to be liberated from the people holding him. His failure to show gratitude for kindness done to him was his greatest undoing. Politics is not madness.
12. The Governor should note that Ebonyi State is our collective heritage and does not belong to Umahism alone. No wonder he calls the State’s allocation “my money” and expends it only with the brothers. For your information, Your Excellency, the State’s allocation is not your money, Sir. It is public fund that you are holding on trust for the people of Ebonyi State.
13. We also call on the Governor to stop using public funds for partisan politics as he is currently doing with the N3 billion SME Fund that has become a political ploy to woe the young people into political allies, after six years of starvation.
14. That we recount the killings and wanton destruction of property in the State between 2015 and 2020, especially the Abakaliki killings, Ezza North Killings, Izzi Killings and the brazen destruction of property orchestrated by some Governor’s blood-thirsty boys which left Ebonyi State into monumental socio-economic disaster.
15. That as stakeholders and elders, we are constrained to warn that we will never again allow such evil to befall the State. We are equally using this medium to charge the Governor to retrieve all those knives he shared to the Neighbourhood Watch with immediate effect, to void more killings in the State.
16. That we once again, re-state our unwavering love, solidarity and support to our elders and stakeholders for their steadfastness with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the unprecedented development in the State that has given us a bold face in the comity of states. We therefore urge our PDP State Caretaker Committee members to remain focused and undaunted in their determination to transform Ebonyi State for the good of all.
    Signed by the within-named representatives of the Stakeholders and Elders of Ikwo Local Government Area:
17. Chief Nwancho Aloh
18. Chief Nweke Nwancho
19. Chief Elom Idenyi
20. Hon. Dr. Nwode Nwaliobu
21. Dr. Onele Nwite Aloh
22. Chief Obeji Agara
23. Elder Iteshi Ogbee
24. Deacon Nwode Amara
25. Hon. Amiara Ogboji
26. Mr. George Alegu
27. Chief Abraham Oginyi
28. Prince Edward Ugbuloke
29. Hon. Reuben Alegu
30. Chief Johnson Nweke
31. Pastor Sunday Nwoliga
32. Elder Patrick Njom
33. Mr. Peter Nwojon
34. Hon. Godwin Nwefia
35. Chief Jeremiah Iganga
36. Hon. Paulinus Odanwu