By Daniel Kanu
The Provost of Abia State College of Education, Technical (ACETA) Arochukwu, Dr Philip Nto, has reacted to a publication by factional leaders of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Arochukwu LGA who accused him of misconduct in convening party stakeholders’ meeting in his residence last Thursday, July 23, 2020.
He described the publication as a cheap campaign of calumny against his person, submitting that those behind the spurious action were political desperadoes and hypocrites.
In a statement personally signed by him, the former Abia Commissioner for Finance and World Bank consultant noted that those who believe that politics is their life have no qualms in blackmailing professionals.
He described those behind the circulation of falsehood against him as hypocritical lives ruled by abysmal sycophancy, emotional blackmail, and intrigues with the intention to manipulate the system as they have always done in the past with the obvious intention of dwindling the party’s fortunes at the local government level.
Dismissing their invective Entitled: HOW NOT TO WELCOME GOV BACK TO WORK and circulated on WhatsApp platforms mainly, the provost said he was constrained to respond because both His Excellency, Gov Okezie Ikpeazu and the leadership of PDP in the State have never doubted his loyalty hence he ought not to have dignified the political charlatans and harlots with his response.
“My name was specifically mentioned and certain imputations made against me, I deem it necessary to put the records straight,” the statement further said.
Listing the facts, he said that he neither convened nor accepted to host any factional meeting in his house as some of his friends who also happened to be his political associates and loyal supporters informed him of their desire to visit his new residence in appreciation to God for His benevolence to him and his family.
He said he concurred to the request as friends and not as factional PDP members holding meeting.
“This is a purely private affair which has nothing to do with any form of politics. In any case, if not for the earlier indisposition of His Excellency, he would have been the first to know of this development in my life,” he asserted.
While reacting to the insinuation that he lost elections in his ward, the PDP stalwart said that it would be absurd, childish and even insane to input that he is an election loser noting that though he is yet to be on the ballot, it is on record that since the days of Senator T. A. Orji as governor to this period of Gov Okezie Ikpeazu, Ututu has always returned the highest vote for PDP, which he said can be testified to by Hon Uko Nkole who is a product of that effort presently in the House of Representatives.
Nto explained that the events that led to PDP losing the Arochukwu State Constituency are well known to the leaders of the party.
“The circumstances which were self-inflicted cannot be rehearsed here but what is important actually is that I was not present during the election because His Excellency sent me on a state assignment to Aba, whereby the Grace of God, the party triumphed.
He said that those peddling falsehood and blackmail are aware that the Governor deeply appreciated and commended his role during and after the elections.