Just In : Ebonyi PDP Chairman Arrested For Alleged Forgery
The leadership crisis rocking the Ebonyi chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a new twist as the new chairman of the party, Silas Onu was arrested by the police in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT on Wednesday.
Silas Onu became chairman of the party in Ebonyi after a court sitting in Abuja sacked Mr Tochukwu Okorie on April 13th, 2022.
The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, held that Okorie was not validly nominated to contest the election for the position of Chairman of the PDP in Ebonyi State and that evidence before it established that Okorie submitted his form, three days outside the deadline that was set by the party.
According to the judge, “It is the finding of this court that the 2nd defendant (Okorie) who submitted his nomination form on October 4, 2021, instead of October 1, 2021, contrary to the guidelines of the conduct of congresses, is not validly nominated.
“It is the opinion of this court that the 2nd defendant, who was indolent in submitting his nomination form as provided in the guidelines issued by the PDP, who in spite of this failure, was still declared and returned elected, cannot be allowed to benefit from his wrongdoing”.
Our heritage reporter gathered that after the PDP complied with the ruling on the 5th of May, Silas Onu recognised the executive of the party in his Ohaozara local government which was elected in the parallel Congress he (Onu) conducted during the state Congress of the PDP in October, 2021.
According to a party source, the ousted chairman (Mr Tochukwu Okorie) who’s in appeal Court challenging his removal sued the new chairman over alleged forgery of Ohaozara LGA PDP Congress Results.
Mr Onu’s arrest is in line with the warrant of arrest issued by the Grade 1 Area, Nyanya, FCT Court.
In the court document sighted by our correspondent, the warrant of arrest in line with the compliant brought before the court by Mr Tochukwu Okorie was issued on the 27th of April, 2022.
Sources told our correspondent that some top police officers are making efforts to secure the release of the embattled Chairman.
