Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi to unseal the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state secretariat that has been shut since 2019.
Atiku, speaking through Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of the Technical Committee for the actualisation of Atiku Abubakar presidential ambition, said it is uncalled for that the state government refuses to unseal the secretariat as the 2023 election approaches.
He asked Umahi to also consider releasing Nwoba Chika Nwoba, the party’s Publicity Secretary, from police custody after he was seized over alleged fake news and cybercrime.
Speaking to journalists in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, Atiku said: “I remember vividly when I came here on two, three occasions, the first one was when I was contesting for chairman of the party, this governor met me at Abuja after I have visited here to plead with him to step down for the chairmanship race for the overall interest of the party and in the overall interested of the Federal Government.
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“This same man does not have sufficient patience when it comes to his own personal ambition of becoming the president, he breezed in a brutal manner and took the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, that a very heinous act, that is the height of brutality and wickedness.
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“And I call on him to, at this point in time, return the secretariat to the PDP of the southeast party, let me also call on him to immediately release of the PDP officer whom he has taken to court with trump up charges, we are all supposed to be democratic, not tyrants. People have a right to a different opinion and must not be incriminated and dealt with in such a heinous manner.
“I want to call on all members of the Peoples Democratic Party in this place to remain resilient, I believe very shortly you will be hearing some good news for the head waiters of this very party, this maltreatment cannot be sustained.
“I’m here on behalf of Atiku Abubakar to consult with you to express deep appreciation to you for the support you gave to me in Port Harcourt 2018 and thank you for giving me about 70 per cent of the total vote cast in 2019 general elections.
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“But like I said the 2019 election which we contested, the APC, the ruling party, appropriated, diverted the outcome to themselves. And as law-abiding citizens since the Supreme Court pronounced on it we had to start preparing for the next elections which are scheduled for February next year. We pray and hope that the government will sign into law the new electoral act, that we are able to have some transparent open election in February next year,”
