Daniel Kanu
Stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Arochukwu Local Government Area, have dismissed as a malicious and blatant lie, the media report that the Provost, Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, Dr. Philip Nto, had declared for the 2023 governorship race of the state.
According to the stakeholders, those behind the imaginary story are not only mischievous but dwindling political desperados looking for how to cause disaffection in PDP in the council “before finally defecting to the opposition party which they have been working for”.
An online report had claimed that Dr. Nto had during a meeting in his house in Umuahia, allegedly declared self as the political leader of Arochukwu.
The report also claimed that the former Finance Commissioner had during the meeting, boasted to have secured the assurances of the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, as well as Senator Theodore Orji for their full support in the project.
But the stakeholders in a press statement signed by the PDP Vice Chairman, Abia North, Chief Amah Abraham; and the Deputy Chairman of Arochukwu Local Government Area, Hon. Cletus Nwankwo, said that the “toxic report is only a figment of the imagination of the sponsor whose political popularity in Arochukwu has been on a steady decline.”
The stakeholders said the sponsor of the mischievous report was only demonstrating his frustration over the indisputable reality that Senator Mao Ohuabunwa remains the Leader of PDP in Arochukwu LGA.
According to the statement, “the continued recognition of this reality has remained a source of pain and nightmare to this desperado and usurper who has since been deserted by the people”.
The statement read in part: “We know the source of this malicious story. His frustration is that he has been roundly rejected by the people after he manifested his true colour.
“He is a misfit and a mole of the opposition in PDP. One of his legs is already in APC and he is waiting to destroy PDP before joining his real party ahead of 2023 but we are smarter.
“He thinks he can cause disaffection in Arochukwu PDP but he is an illusionary general without foot soldiers. We know his antecedents and won’t give him any chance.
“If he thinks he has any political clout let him convene stakeholders’ meeting of Arochukwu PDP, and see if any reasonable person will honour it.
“We recognize Senator Mao Ohuabunwa as the PDP leader in Arochukwu because of his continued fatherly role in the party.
“It’s only a usurper and a traitor that will challenge this recognition. As a two term member of the House of Representatives and the immediate past Senator from Abia North, Ohuabunwa remains the highest political office holder, and Leader of PDP in the LGA.”
The stakeholders, therefore, urged members of the public to discountenance the said false media report which they said was a total misrepresentation of facts.
Meanwhile, Dr. Nto when contacted described the report as “unnecessary distraction which doesn’t deserve my attention”.
He said he was too occupied with his mandate which is how to reposition ACETA into a referral institution, an assignment the Economist said he could not sacrifice on the altar of “untenable and fictitious media reports”.
The former Finance Commissioner said he was exposed and educated enough to know what to do assuming there’s any iota of truth in the hallucination of the sponsors of the imaginary report”.