Chairman State Working Committee (SWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi state, Barrister Onyekachi Nwebonyi, is the leader of one of the factions of the party in the state. In this interview with AMARACHUKWU EGWUAGHA, he states that he enjoys cordial relationship with party members, except some NASS members he denied automatic ticket
Is your party still in order, especially, since the leader of the party, Governor Dave Umahi defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) , Do you have chances of reclaiming seat of power come 2023 elections?
Honestly speaking, the defection of the Ebonyi state governor from my party to APC is a big loss to my party, PDP in the state in the sense that the governor, we all know, is a beautiful bride in terms of party politics and public administration. Then as PDP government, he made us proud by embarking on so many life touching projects of which Ebonyians are proud of. So, his exit is a big blow to my party but that notwithstanding, PDP is still on ground in Ebonyi state. You will agree with me that eight out of the nine National Assembly members are still with me, they are in PDP; I have three Senators and five House of Reps members. Also, the House of Assembly is intact, they are all PDP starting from the Speaker to the last person in the House. We have been existing cordially with other political parties, I don’t believe in politics of violence or bickering. I believe in due process and I believe in people orientated programme.
Ebonyi state is completely PDP not minding that the governor is in APC. If you ask an average Ebonyian, he will tell you that he is PDP in all ramifications and I believe strongly that, in no distant time, we are going to start our sensitization programmes ward by ward to let our people know that PDP is still intact in Ebonyi state and I want to assure you without mincing words that come 2023, we will go back to government House because we are going to produce the next governor of Ebonyi state. I am very sure of that because Ebonyi state is wholly PDP, you will see it happen by the grace of God.
How can you describe your relationship with other stakeholders in the party?
The relationship is very cordial except few desperate politicians like some of the members of the National Assembly who approached me that I should pass vote of confidence on them and give them automatic tickets and that is the area we differed. I said no, our party has a constitution, and moreover, 2023 is still a long way to go and we have procedures of giving tickets to candidates, when we get to the bridge we cross it, we will observe our primaries, if the people want you, you will be there. I believe in people-oriented leadership.
Is it true that Governor Umahi planted you in PDP to destabilize the party in the state?
When people are advertising their ignorance, it pains me a lot because for one to conclude that hence the governor has defected, therefore, all of us are with him, that is fallacious. Governor is just an individual, a member of a party with one vote, he has no two votes. So, his defection has nothing to do with our existence as a party. Moreover, I was elected by the entire members of the party in the state and the governor just gave me one vote. So, how can I wish away the votes of thousands of other people because of one vote? I don’t believe in that. I have no business with the governor, I have no business with him because he has left my party, I have no problem with him as person and I don’t hope to have one and I am capable of holding in Ebonyi state and I will return power to PDP come 2023. The governor is not an obstacle, the governor is just pursuing his own political dream, his new party, he has no business with us, he is not interfering with what we are doing directly or indirectly. So, it is out of it to say that we are working with the governor, how? Do I attend APC meeting? Do I meet with him? Is he sponsoring what we are doing? So, that allegation is baseless.
The federal high court sitting in Abakaliki gave judgment on the leadership crisis rocking PDP in the state and reinstated you as the Chairman following your removal by the National Working Committee of the party. What is your take on this?
Even before the verdict of the Federal High Court which is a welcome development, an educated man should know that we were duly elected and we have not committed any offence as the leaders of the party in Ebonyi state. Therefore, there is no basis for the purported dissolution by the National Working Committee of the party in the first place. So, I thank God for the Federal High Court verdict and I have appealed to my friend Elder Fred Udeogu and co to join us let us rebuild this party because the party is for all of us and I am seeing them as the agents of the APC because they know the provisions of the party’s constitution. I am suspecting that the governor is using them to destabilize the party and not the other way round. If not, look at the constitution of the party. You said you dissolved somebody, no offence, no disciplinary action, nothing. It is not done that way. We were not appointed, we were elected by the electorate of PDP. So, I am suspecting that the governor of Ebonyi state is using Elder Fred Udeogu to destroy the party in the state and of course, Elder Fred Udeogu is a good friend of the Governor. So, he is using him to destabilize the party and I want to warn him that if he continues doing so, he will face disciplinary action.
There is this rumour making the round that other remaining governors in PDP in the South East are planning to defect to the APC like Governor Umahi. How true is this?
Well, like you know, I am a state Chairman of PDP in Ebonyi state and I can tell you much of what is happening in Ebonyi state, I don’t know what is happening in other states but all I can tell you is that there is no such plan. Enugu state governor is in PDP in fact, he is the new leader of PDP in South East and I am sure you are aware of that. The Abia state governor is in PDP, we are even trying to woo Imo state Governor to come over to PDP and I can tell you that in no distant time, Hope Uzodimma will join PDP.
A Magistrate in the state is currently undergoing trial in the state judiciary for granting bail to the youth leader of Udeogu-led faction of the party. Is it true that you are the one behind the whole thing?
You may recall that sometime ago, a group of people led by one Barrister Obinna Iteshi invaded my office and burgled the office and made away with some valuable items. That matter was reported to the office of Commissioner of Police Ebonyi state police command and investigation was conducted. From the investigation, they were found culpable and they were charged to court and I know very well that the Magistrate lacks jurisdiction to hear that matter in one of the charges against the suspects. So, I don’t know where the Magistrate based his own law to grant the said Obinna Iteshi bail. It is upon this that I wrote to Ebonyi state judicial service commission to review the action of the Magistrate and I believe that justice will come my way.
What is your advice to your party men?
They should remain committed to PDP, PDP is the answer. It is only PDP that can solve the problem of Nigeria, APC cannot do it. They lack the capacity, the insecurity is on the rise, unemployment is on the rise, there is hunger in the land. On daily basis, people are being murdered. You can see that APC has failed Nigerians, PDP is the answer.
