The Chaiman of the People’s Democratic Party, Ebonyi State, Mr Tockukwu Okorie, said the claims by his closest rival in the just concluded State congress of the Party, Barrister Silas Onu, that he was imposed on the party faithful through undemocratic process, was frivolous and baseless.
Mr. Silas Onu who came second in the State chairmanship contest had in a petition to the PDP Congress Appeal Committee on Sunday, accused the party’s National Working Committee of gifting Mr. Okorie a nomination form, which according to him, was contrary to the guidelines that stipulated that an aspirant must purchase a form for N750,000.00.
He alleged that Mr. Okorie failed to meet the minimum requirements for nomination and therefore did not qualify to contest in the election.
Onu further claimed that Okorie failed to meet the party’s deadline for the purchase and submission of forms, alleging that the party had a preset template for his emergence as the party’s Chairman, in Ebonyi State.
But Mr Okorie, while reacting to the petition, said there was no iota of truth in his opponent’s claims, and described it as frivolous and baseless.
He urged the Appeal Committee and the general public to disregard his claims.
Okorie who presented copies of receipts of his nomination form, which were submitted at the Party’s Headquarters in Abuja as proof before journalists on Sunday, in Abakaliki, said, “Not only did I duly purchase my form within the allowed timeframe but also met the submission deadline contrary to Onu’s claims.
“These are copies of the documents as attached below and they show I bought my nomination form for N750,000.00 as prescribed by the party’s Guidelines on September 6, 2021 ahead of the revised deadline of September 9, 2021. Submission date as seen from the duly acknowledged copy of the form was October 4, 2021, being the first business day following the National holiday of Friday October 1, 2021, which should have been the deadline.
“Other documents to prove my claims and attached herewith include a financial waiver granted to candidates in Ebonyi State by the National Working Committee of PDP allowing them to obtain forms without paying. I ought not to have paid for form since the party had granted a financial waiver and that I may go for a refund on account of same. These are also documents showing party’s approved deadlines.
“My opponent, Mr. Silas Onu, though having made blunders by making wild claims in the media, has been a hardworking party man and I call on him (Onu) to retrace his steps. He should come back home and join hands with the newly elected Executive Committee of PDP in the state to rebuild the party. I reiterate again and for me, there is no Victor and there is no Vanquished.
“Recall that seven aspirants had initially indicated their interest to vie for the position of the Chairman of the PDP Ebonyi State chapter. Five, out of that number however willingly withdrew from the contest, paving the way for a contest between me and Mr. Silas Onu. The State Congress Committee Chairman, Senator Ben-Collins Ndu, in his powers as the Returning Officer, declared me as the winner. Out of the 1,510 accredited delegates, I polled 1,240 votes to defeat my only opponent, Mr. Silas Onu, who polled 262 votes. Eight votes were declared invalid.”
Meanwhile, Mr Joseph Silas Onu has vowed to expose to anti- graft agencies the corrupt tendencies of Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim should he not restore him as the State PDP Chairman. Onu who in an interview with newsmen stated that Anyim's current detention by EFCC is a nemesis, said he would exposed the 25 companies used by Pius Anyim to syphone billions of naira meant for South East.