From David Eze,
Abakaliki
The Police have sealed off the Ebonyi PDP Secretariat along the Enugu Abakaliki high way following a leadership clash between the Fred Udeogu -led PDP caretaker committee and the dissolved Onyekachi Nwebonyi-led executives.
It would be recalled that the National Executive of the PDP had in November last year, after the governor’s defection, dissolved the state Executives of the party including the State Working Committee led by Onyekachi Nwebonyi.
The National Executive of the party had set up a Caretaker Committee led by Fred Udogu to oversee the party in the state.
Mr. Nwebonyi and some members of the dissolved SWC challenged their dissolution at the State High Court. The matter had suffered several adjournments even as three Judges have recused themselves from the matter.
Elder Fred Udogu last two weeks instituted another case at an Abuja High Court on the same matter and secured injunction barring the Nwebonyi committee from parading themselves as the authentic leadership of the party in the state.
Backed by the injunction, the Udeogu youths supporters of the party Monday moved to take over the secretariat but Security Agencies arrived and dispersed them after firing shots in the air
It was gathered that security agencies had arrested some of their members including the Youth Leader, Barr Obinna Iteshi.
Reacting to this development, the State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Barr. Silas Joseph Onu said it is worrisome that the lives of Ebonyi people are no longer valuable to those mandated to protect them.
He said, “upon a valid Court order which restrained Nwebonyi and his urchins from parading themselves as leaders or even members of the People’s Democratic Party, we duly notified the police of our intention to access our Secretariat today”.
“Upon arrival, the police were obviously ordered to frustrate that effort and they swung into action. Firstly, the Deputy Commissioner in Charge of Operations asked that we go and obtained an “Enforcement Order” as if the case is one requiring further order (s) to give validity to the initial order – this is laughable!
“It is very interesting how the police is now being used to play out a script that promotes disorder and fuels crisis in Ebonyi State”.
“If the Ebonyi Police Command is no longer the Nigerian Police, it will be good for us to be notified as we can no longer trust a public institution that is clearly working to create division, crisis and disorder through the overt acts of subverting a valid court order and encouraging a renegade to cover his crimes.
“Now, we are only left with the option of pleading with the DSS to do the needful and restore order in Ebonyi State as this little spark is not a healthy sign. It may appear innocuous, but only God knows how such senseless attack end. The lives of many people are a stake here”.
