By Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki.
No fewer than 2,500 stakeholders and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi
State, Monday, May 16, 2016, staged a solidarity rally in support of the state governor, Chief David Umahi, in the festering fracas between him and his former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Internal Security , Chief Ali Odefa. State Commissioner for Solid Minerals and former Chairman of Onicha Local Government Area,Chief Donatus Odii Njoku, who led
the delegation to the state Government House, Abakaliki, before marching to the state Township Stadium, condemned the attitude of Odefa and his group. He promised the governor the support of the people of Onicha Local Government Area at all times.
“We condemn what transpired at Enugu on Saturday in its totality
because it is likened to people biting the finger that fed them, and is still feeding them.
He said that the people were disassociating themselves from Odefa and his cohorts, maintaining they (Odefas) acted outside the mandates given to them by the people.
The member representing Onicha West constituency in the state House of Assembly and former Deputy Speaker of the House, Valentine Okike-Uzo, noted that what happened at Enugu was an embarrassment to the state and the personality of the governor.
“It is also a total affront to the office of the governor as having
witnessed the scenario in Enugu. I can say that the ploy was hatched from
the party’s Local Government Area (LGA) congress,” he said.
He pointed out that the Odefa family has gained a lot from the governor as he was
instrumental to the emergence of one of its sons, Obasi Odefa, as the present Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
Also, the Onicha LGA Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mrs. Elizabeth Onwe, noted that the people have been liberated from the heavy bondage of the Odefa family.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Ebony, Dr Offfor Okorie, who
received the people on behalf of the governor, thanked the people for their peaceful
disposition and promised to relay their messages to the governor.
“We are happy to see Onicha people in their numbers coming out to show
support for the governor as it also pleasing that people openly
condemned the unruly behaviour of their sons.”
According to him, “This shows that Onicha people are responsible
and peaceful people who don’t support evil.”
It would be recalled that the supporters of Governor Umahi and supporters of his former aide on security, Chief Ali Odefa Saturday, engaged in a free-for-all at Okpala Square Enugu, venue of the PDP Zonal Congress over the Vice Chairmanship position of the party zone to the state.
Crisis started when the congress committee read a petition allegedly written against Chief Ali by Governor Umahi seeking his disqualification from the contest which his younger brother, Chief Augustine Umahi, later won.
But Ali insisted that he had resigned his position as aide to the governor before coming to stand the election.
However, Governor Umahi on Sunday accepted the resignation of Chief Ali and wished him well in his future endeavours.
In a statement signed by his Principal Secretary, Mr. Clement Nweke, the governor directed Odefa to hand government properties in his possession to the Secretary to the state government (SSG), Prof. Benard Odoh, before close of work on Monday, May 16, 2016.
The statement also contained the dismissal of about 25 other appointees including the Co-ordinator of Onicha West Development Centre, Ogbonnaya Oti, that of Edda West, Okoro Nnachi and liaison officers and management committee members in various Local Government Areas across the state.
Theniche gathered that the sacked appointees were loyalists of his estranged aide, Chief Ali Odefa, that of Member Representing Onicha, Ohaozara and Ivo Federal Constituency, Linus Abba Okorie, the Senator Representing Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone, Chief Sonni Ogbuoji, and that of the member representing Ezza South in the state House of Assembly, Chris Usulor, among others.