The loyalists and supporters of the embattled Ebonyi gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People's Party, NNPP, have disassociated themselves from the 'suspension' of their principal, Prophet Adol Awam Chris from the party, urging the general public to consider the declaration against him as 'frivolous theatrics of detractors.'
Recall that the leadership of the NNPP of Echiaba ward in Ebonyi LGA of Ebonyi State on Tuesday suspended the party's governorship candidate, Prophet Adol Awam Chris over alleged anti-party and insubordination activities during the just concluded elections.
The party officials who signed Adol Awam's suspension letter included Echiaba Ward Chairman - Chinedu Ofoke, Vice Chairman - Eluu Okechukwu, Secretary -Ani Izuchukwu, Achu Okechukwu - Treasurer, Ndubisi Stanley - Organising Secretary and Uche Nnajiofor.
Others were the Publicity Secretary - Chijioke Okechukwu, Youth Leader -Richard Okechukwu, Welfare Secretary - Akpa Chigozie, Legal Adviser - Otta Chibueze, Auditor - Francis Nwambeke, Chukwu Samson - Financial Secretary, Juliana Nwogha - Representative for the Corporate body.
But in a press release read by Victor Uraku, the Director of Media and Publicity of God's Project, the Adol Awam Chris' Campaign Organisation during the 2023 election, described the suspension of the Ebonyi NNPP gubernatorial candidate as a woven falsehood.
Uraku in the press release signed by the NNPP Deputy State Chairman - Chief Boniface Ibeogu, Vice Chairman III - Mr Stephen Ezeali, State Treasurer - Mr John Ugbo, State Financial Secretary - Elder Nwokpoku Godwin, State Organising Secretary - Nwite Cyprian Tochukwu, Chairman NNPP Ebonyi LGA - Hon Emmanuel Igah, Chairman NNPP Echiaba Ward - Mr Ndubisi Nweke, and Secretary NNPP Echiaba Ward - Mr Ominyi Alex alleged that the suspension of Adol Awam from the party was masterminded by the alleged former NNPP State chairman, Mr Solomon Chukwu and his indigent cohort of impersonators.
In his words, "This mischievous and malicious act would have been ignored but we owe the people of Ebonyi State and our teeming supporters the truth behind this lamely woven falsehood.
"We want to state clearly that the leader of our party in the state (Prophet Adol Awam Chris) was never suspended as claimed by the self-acclaimed Chairman of Echiaba Ward, Chinedu Ofoke who is not a member of the NNPP let alone being an executive member of the party.
"For clarity purpose, the substantive Chairman of Echiaba Ward as recognised by the National leadership of the NNPP and INEC is Hon. Ndubuisi Nweke and Mr Alex Ominyi as Secretary who are as aggrieved as other Executive members of the party at the heinous, irresponsible and delinquent persona of Mr Solomon Chukwu and his unscrupulous accomplice.
"We are aware that Mr Solomon Chukwu who is the mastermind of this shabby plot to bring disrepute to our party is simply deploying diversionary tactics to veer attention away from his apparent administration ineptitude, anti-party activities, alleged direct and culpable involvement in the misappropriation of over 78 million Naira of the party funds meant for the payment of our agent, and for logistics at the LGA and Ward levels in the just concluded general elections which led to his suspension by his ward executives on 6th April 2023. As a result, the party agents are yet to receive their allowances for the general elections to date leaving them aggrieved across the state."
Uraku also alleged that the suspension of Chukwu from the NNPP has been adopted by the State Working Committee of the party and further challenged him to bring evidence of where Adol Awam campaigned for the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, instead of the NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso during the just concluded elections.
Also speaking, the State Deputy Governorship candidate of the NNPP, Engr Mrs Nkechinyere Benedicta Okochi revealed that the candidates of the party had unanimously supported the suspension of Mr Solomon Chukwu as the party's State Chairman following his alleged administrative ineptitude, anti-party activities and alleged misappropriation of 78 million Naira for the party agents, ward and local government chairmen.
The NNPP candidates in a release signed by the State NNPP deputy governor, Engr Mrs Nkechinyere Benedicta Okochi, with other party's candidates including Benjamin Uguru, Benjis Otubo, Modester Opoke, Ojeogu Stephen Ifeanyi, Ugo Augustine, Sandra Nwankwo, Igwe Uche, Okemini Ogodo, Innocent Nwokoro, Aro Joel Okoro, Simeon Odo, Nworji Abraham, and Eze Elijah Abraham said that they had lost confidence in Mr Solomon Chukwu as their party chairman because of his alleged unscrupulous traits and for attempting to tarnish the image and reputation of the leader of the NNPP in Ebonyi State, Adol Awam Chris.
Okochi said the candidates comprising those who contested the State and National Assembly positions under the platform of the NNPP in the just concluded elections in Ebonyi had also reaffirmed their support for Adol Awam and commended their State Working Committee for throwing their weight behind the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the state.
Reacting, Mr Solomon Chukwu told our correspondent on a phone call, that he remains the authentic Chairman of the NNPP in Ebonyi State and described allegations levelled against him by Adol Awam and his cohorts as falsehoods from the pit of hell.
Chukwu further said, "Adol Awam coerced me through his breaded hoodlums, snatched my handset, with my ATM card, brought POS agent, extracted my ATM pin to make a withdrawal and unfortunately, the said accused person of such intimidating amount of money did not have sufficient fund in his bank account and this justified my innocence.
"As this was not enough, Adol Awam and his thugs descended on him, beat me black and blues for no just cause.
"As I'm talking to you, no single member of the NNPP is still with Adol Awam because he has been suspended indefinitely from our party, due to his anti-party and insubordination activities. I heard that Adol Awam and his family members contracted a social media activist, Victor Uraku to write and read a press release on behalf of the State Working Committee of NNPP to suspend a Congress-elected Chairman in Ebonyi. This is laughable!
"The National leadership of our party has been communicated appropriately through my office as the NNPP Ebonyi State Chairman, and I want to warn Adol Awam and his cohorts to stop parading themselves as members of the NNPP because the party will not take it lightly with him and his co-travellers for spreading destructive falsehoods against me. I will employ every legal action to ensure the enemies of the NNPP in Ebonyi State face the wrath of the law, and I'm sure Adol Awam will not go unpunished."
Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
