By Our Reporter
The Ebonyi State governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Engr. Elias Mbam, has accused Governor David Umahi and the Ebonyi Chairman of the APC, Stanley Okoro Emegha, of plotting to suspend him.
Engr. Mbam, who made the allegation on Monday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, said that Governor Umahi’s action of using his aides to summon him for a disciplinary procedure in the state in connection with the APC Gubernatorial primary election is a mockery of the APC guidelines for primary elections and also an abuse of the powers.
The statement read: “We have heard plans being orchestrated by the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi and the State APC Chairman, Stanley Okoro Emegha to suspend Engr. Elias Mbam, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the just concluded APC gubernatorial primary in Ebonyi State.
“This is not only ridiculous but beats every known rules and guidelines as contained in the APC constitution, as amended.
“After the APC primary of Thursday 26th May 2022, the Governor and the Chairman had a meeting in the evening and concluded plans to suspend Engr. Elias Mbam. This we thought was mere rumour until Sunday, 29th May when there was an announcement on local radio by one Mr. Unachi Christopher inviting Engr. Mbam to a meeting at his ward by 8am of Monday 30th, knowing that it was impossible for Engr. Mbam who is in Abuja to return to Ebonyi before 8am.
“This Issue has become a subject of a pending court case and the principal actor Mr. Christopher Unachi was duly served with the court processes today, Monday 30th May 2022, by the bailiff of the Ebonyi State High Court.
“Governor Umahi’s action of using his aides to summon Engr. Elias Mbam for a disciplinary procedure in Ebonyi State in connection with the APC Gubernatorial primary election is a mockery of the APC guidelines for primary elections and also an abuse of the powers conferred on the appropriate organs of the party at various levels under the extant APC Constitution.
“For instance, Article 21.3 (vi) (a) of the APC Constitution (As Amended March 26th, 2022) provides that “The Ward Executive shall be the adjudicatory body of first instance over complaints or allegation from the Polling Unit level,” while Article 21.3 (vi) (d) of the APC Constitution (As Amended March 26th, 2022) provides that “The Zonal Committee shall be the adjudicatory body of first instance over complaints or allegations from the State chapter of the zone.”
“From the above provisions of the APC Constitution, it is obvious that the wards, local government areas and state executives of the party have no powers to look into disciplinary complaints arising from the APC gubernatorial primary election which took place at the state level.
“The planned actions of Governor Umahi and his aides will not stand and they know it.
“Ebonyi people have been jubilant since Thursday 26th May when Engr. Elias Mbam won the APC governorship Primary against the endorsed and anointed aspirant of Governor David Umahi who is not even a member of our party.
“We therefore call on Ebonyi people, APC faithful and teeming supporters of Engr. Elias Mbam to ignore this latest move by Governor Umahi and his agents. We urge them to remain peaceful and law abiding and to go about their normal businesses.”