From Jimi Anjolaoluwa – Abuja
Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) on Monday asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to call Governor Dave Umahi to order against the backdrop of the recent ban placed on Journalists and other misgovernance actions capable of demarketing the party in the state.
The group said the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling PDP in the state must caution the governor against maladministration and moves capable of dwindling the fortunes of the party in Ebonyi in the future elections.
Chairman of the group, Ambassador Pascal Oluchukwu in a statement in Abuja on Monday, said the party has a duty to caution the Ebonyi State governor against what he described as “undemocratic practices and ensure that his actions do not undermine the enviable democratic credentials of the party.”
The group observed that the recent actions and inaction of governor Umahi is capable of bringing misfortune to the PDP and pave way the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023 in the state.
“The recent disgraceful and most unwarranted ban placed on two Journalists deployed to cover Ebonyi State by the management of Vanguard and The Sun Newspapers respectively is not ideal of a democratic party which PDP represents.
“The Journalists were being punished not because of their incompetence but because they have demonstrated independent reasoning and have refused to be corrupted or intimidated on the discharge of their duties.
“The PDP needs to caution Governor Dave Umahi against making unguarded and careless utterances capable of undermining the democratic gains of the party in the state.
“People will not forget in a hurry the example of the gag order issued by Umahi to the Civil Servants in the state recently not to speak out against any government policy however unpopular, the governor threatened to risk to fire such public officer from the Civil Service job.
“We call on the national leadership of the PDP to rise up to the challenges imposed on its peculiar position to rein on the governor and ensure that he remains respectful of democratic norms in leading the government and people of Ebonyi state on its behalf.
“We believe that for the PDP to safeguard its democratic reputations it must not overlook obvious disrespect for the rule of law and must therefore brings Governor Dave Umahi to book, and caution his approach. You can not halt freedom of speech, or ban Journalists from going about their constitutional rights.
“If the PDP refuses to caution Governor Umahi, he will mortgage the Ebonyi state to the APC; and we all know what that means for the 2023 general elections,” the group advised.
