31/01/2023
The Abia State African Democratic Congress, (ADC) State Working Committee (SWC)on Tuesday 31, January 2023, suspended indefinitly its gubernatorial candidate, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, its Abia Central senatorial candidate, Dr Godson Abraham and its Umuahia central state constituency candidate, Deacon Iyke Nwoko correspondingly.
The party also disowned one Mr Osita Offor (Ultimate Commander) who parades as the party’s Abia North senatorial candidate even when his name is not domiciled in the INEC list.
According to the release signed by Don Norman Obinna Executive State Chairman of the party and Micheal Elite Eze
Ag. State Secretary, the SWC suspended Bishop Sunday Onuoha for orchestrating and promoting schism and factionalism in the party.
They also said that Bishop Onuoha was negotiating to stand down for any willing governorship candidate of another party for a monetary reward using the ADC mandate and failing to set up a campaign council and appointing a DG, 36 days before the 2023 gubernatorial election.
The release further added that he was suspended for not having a campaign manifesto or engaging in reasonable electioneering and making campaign materials available across the state for awareness and effective political engagement.
Onuoha was alleged to be using the party’s mandate to solicit funds from sympathisers and the unsuspecting public under the false pretence of electioneering.
Aside from these, Bishop Onuoha was said to have failed to galvanise, motivate or grant some sort of financial support to the party’s State House candidates.
Rather, he coaxes them to donate money to support the ousted National chairman’s political jamborees and to his ill-fated and deserted flag-off.
The statement reads:We view his action as a deliberate emasculation of the candidates to jeopardize the chances of the party and its candidates in the forthcoming general election.”
“In other words, his conduct has made our party a public spectacle as well as exposed it to odium and opprobrium.”
In the case of Dr Abraham Godson, the SWC suspended him for openly adopting the Labour party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi and further produced campaign materials containing his and Obi’s effigies.
Aside from this gross anti-party undertaking, he disparaged our party’s Presidential Candidate, H.E. Dumebi Kachikwu on a widely broadcast live radio program.
“Deacon Iyke Nwoko our supposed Umuahia Central State candidate deceived the party by picking its nomination form for the State House of Assembly after he had participated in the PDP primaries and lost.”
This runs afoul of the electoral act as amended.”
He also engaged in activities that caused disaffection among party members when he unlawfully removed two elected Ward Chairmen and women leaders of the Umuahia North LGA.
According to Article 22 section ii, vi, viii, ix, of the ADC Constitution, these activities constitute acts of gross misconduct.
The SWC, after reviewing the activities of the trio was left in the invidious position of preserving the party’s integrity and terminus ad quem or to molly-cuddle them and justifying the tag of mediocre already attached to the ADC.
“We, however, chose the former to preserve our party’s objective which is to enthrone good governance in Abia State.”
“We, therefore, urge Abians not to waste their votes on moles and unscrupulous persons whose aim is to take advantage of our impulses for change to hoodwink us.”
“We shall, as a matter of necessity, adopt a gubernatorial candidate, a senatorial candidate for Abia Central and a state house candidate for Umuahia central in a few days.”
