A group, operating under the auspices of Ebonyi South Concerned Citizens, has kicked against the suspension and expulsion of the factional candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Ebonyi South, Mrs Ann Agom-Eze, from the party.
The group alleged that the State Government through its agents coerced the Vice Chairman of Umudomi Ward, Mr Nwitte John-Eze, to sign a letter, which purportedly suspended and expelled Mrs Agom-Eze, on Saturday.
According to the group, the same suspension/expulsion letter, was on Wednesday, rejected by the Ward Chairman, Ogbonnaya Ogboji, and the Secretary, after they were allegedly held hostage for over 14 hours and later offered N1 million to sign the letter.
The Leader of the group, Engr Ugochukwu Orji, stated this on Sunday, a in statement, titled, ‘Suspension saga about Princess Ann Agom-Eze: A mere fallacy, move that increases Umahi’s desperation.’
Some national dailies (not The PUNCH) on Friday, reported there was a grand plot to suspend and expel Mrs Agom-Eze, who came second in the APC senatorial primary for Ebonyi South zone, held on June 28, 2022 and was joined in a matter challenging Umahi’s supposed qualification to still contest the ticket, after participating and losing the party’s presidential primary.
The matter, our correspondent gathered, is still pending at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
The Ebonyi group, which said suspending Mrs Agom-Eze amounted to cutting corners, in the statement, said, “In their continuous bid to actualise their evil plans of suspending Mrs Ann Nwanyibuife Agom-Eze, two days ago, being Wednesday, August 10, 2022, the Onicha Local Government Area Chairman, Hon Felix Igboke, invited the APC executives of the Umudomi Ward.
“During the time of hostage at the residence of Onicha LGA chairman, in Abakaliki, immediately after the news went viral, they quickly released them and came online to write a press release, denying every allegations against them.
“The Umudomi Ward Excos were released after their plan of coersing them to sign the suspension letter against Mrs Ann Agom-Eze.
“Yesterday again, being Thursday, August 11, 2022, in another attempt to cover up their illegal activities of the previous day, they now invited the whole Excos from the Umudomi Ward to the State Patty secretariat in Abakaliki, which ended up in chaos as they finally offered Ward Umudomi Excos One Million Naira to cover up their logistics.
“It was later revealed that Governor David Umahi Nweze called the Onicha council chairman threatening to sack all the appointees from Onicha Igboeze Community and the local government area at large, if nothing was done to suspend and expel Mrs Ann Agom-Eze from the party.
“Early hours of Friday, being August 12, 2022, the Umudomi Ward Chairman was again called to report with his full Ward Excos for their monthly stipend at the Onicha Local Government Area headquarters, in Isu.
“And on getting to the Onicha Local Government Area headquarters at Isu, he was secretly informed that the Onicha LGA APC Chairman, Mr Uche Nwosu, planned to attack him with some of his group members, and he eventually narrowly escaped being lynched. At this very moment, the way about of the Umudomi Ward Chairman, Ogbonnaya John Ogboji, is unknown.
“Information reaching us now (today, Saturday, August 13, 2023) is that they have immediately installed and mandated the Vice Chairman of Umudomi Ward, Mr Nwitte John-Eze, who carried out their bidding of signing the suspension letter of Mrs Ann Nwanyibuife Agom-Eze. Moreso, we hope that Mr Ogbonnaya John Ogboji (The Umudomi Ward Chairman) is safe wherever they may have taken him to.”
Reacting to the development, the Publicity Secretary of APC in the state, Hon. Ogbuatu Simba, said, “Nobody was held hostage. It was a matter of the people of Umudomi Ward coming together to show displeasure over the non-ethical attitude of their daughter, Ann Agom Eze.”
On the expulsion of Mrs Agom-Eze, he added, “Yes she has committed expulsion offenses and bridged constitutional norms of the party.”
Also, the Special Assistant on Media and Strategy to Governor Umahi, Mr Chooks Okoh, described as baseless and unfounded, the allegation that some people were offered N1 million to sign Agom-Eze’s suspension letter, adding she should approach the party leadership and sort herself out.
In a statement, he said, “Agom-Eze lost in both the first and the subsequent reruns of APC Primary election for Ebonyi South Senatorial district. Does it not sound totally absurd that Governor Umahi who won the election should stake the sum of One million naira as alleged by the rumour mongers, to secure the suspension of Mrs Agom Eze?”
When contacted, the Chairman of APC in the state, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, said, “Mrs Agom-Eze has recklessly disparaged herself by eating back her words in an effort to satisfy her paymasters. How can a woman who voluntarily wrote, signed and submitted her letter of withdrawal from the Senatorial primary, that gave the Federal High Court Abakaliki, the impetus to order for a fresh primary still denies it in a broad daylight?
“Do you know that she also sworn an affidavit to that effect and all these documents are substantially available including at the National Secretariat?”
