Senators, Rep boycott Ebonyi PDP congress

The three senators from Ebonyi State and a member of the House of Representatives were among prominent members who boycotted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state congress on Saturday.

New leaders were elected at the event to pilot the affairs of the state’s ruling party for the next four years.

But the three senators, Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North), Ama Nnachi (Ebonyi South) and Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central), and the representative for Afikpo North/South federal constituency, Iduma Igariwey, stayed away from the congress.

Four out of five House of reps members elected on the platform of PDP attended and participated at the congress which was held at the Abakaliki Township stadium.

Their absence may not be unconnected with their alleged demand for new state party executives ahead of 2023. Instead, all the incumbents were reelected at the congress.

But Governor David Umahi at the congress called for peace in the party, saying there was no reason for tension in the polity.

On the absence of the federal lawmakers, he said: “I want to commend our National Assembly members. If anybody has angered you, please caucus leader we will have a meeting on Thursday evening, tell the other senators and Reps who are not here. I am the father of the state and we have worked together 2015, 2019. There is nothing that can divide us, whatever is any misgiving if any, let us discuss on Thursday and move forward. This is very important”.

The reelected state chairman of the party, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, assured that the state executives will continue to entrench internal democracy in the party.