Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, alias AnyiChucks, the Ebonyi State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, has advised Senator Obinna Ogba to face reality and stop making ‘spurious claims’ about being authentic candidate of the party.
Dr. Odii in a statement by his support group, the AnyiChucks GrassRoot Organization, noted that the recent statement by Senator Ogba to the effect that no man born of a woman will take away the party’s ticket from him, is nothing short of political extremism.
The governorship candidate advised the senator to toe the line of honour and congratulate him on his emergence as the party’s candidate, instead of continuing to fight a lost battle.
“The Directorate of Media and Publicity of the AnyiChuks GrassRoot Organization, wishes to advice Sen. Obinna Ogba and his band of supporters 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 said.
“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. Odi. 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. Odi 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.”
According to the statement signed by Abia Onyike, director of media and publicity for the grassroots movement, “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 for by benevolent spirit, 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. Odi 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.”