A prominent leader from the Southeast zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara, of complicity in the ugly episode that played out Wednesday at the Wadata Plaza venue of the meeting.
The South East stalwart of the party, Hon Chukwudi Apugo, while accusing Wabara, asked him to explain why he took charge of the list of BoT members invited to the Wednesday meeting.
According to Apugo, the BoT secretariat prepared a list of those expected to be in the meeting, which excluded Ude Okoye. Surprisingly, another list containing Ude Okoye’s name, signed by Wabara, was sent to the security gate for accreditation.
The PDP stalwart and former two-time member of Abia State House of Assembly asked, “If Wabara was not out to play a sinister motive, at what stage did it occur to him to invite Sunday Ude-Okoye, who is not a member of the party’s Board of Trustees?”
“To everyone’s bewilderment, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude Okoye appeared on Wabara’s list of serving National Secretaries, giving rise to the ugly incident at the PDP National Secretariat on Wednesday. If Anyanwu was recognised and invited to the meeting as a serving National Secretary of the Party, what then was Wabara’s motive in inviting Sunday Ude Okoye in the same capacity, if not to create confusion and ignite crises? Hon Apugo asked.
He further queried why the Board of Trustees meeting should have two different accreditation lists if not to cause mischief.”
Towing the views of the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb Iliya Damagum, who accused some members of being complicit, the South East leader called on Wabara to act as a true elder statesman and chairman of the BoT, which is the party’s conscience.
He said that Wabara’s actions are by no means indicting his status as the BoT chairman of the party, stressing that he has already taken sides in the party crisis.
According to him, “In the Wabara’s list before him, Senator Samuel Anyanwu is number 46 as National Secretary, while in number 47 is the name of Sunday Ude-Okoye.
‘’On the other list, it is only the name of Anyanwu,’’ adding, ‘’ blame Wabara for all that took place at the BoT meeting. The action of Wabara amounts to contempt of the Appeal Court Stay of Execution Order granted to Senator Anyanwu in pursuit of his Appeal already filed in the Supreme Court, for which Wabara is well informed.
Apugo stressed that Wabara is an elder statesman who is not expected to take actions injurious to the party’s unity.
He explained further, “Since the Court of Appeal, presided over by the President of the court, issued a directive, it is incumbent on any lawful citizen to respect that court order. To Apugo, all parties should maintain the status quo ante bellum as directed until the court finally determines the matter. Any action contrary to that position is reprehensible and should be appropriately sanctioned.