From Fred Ezeh,
Abuja
The suspended chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Joseph Avazi, has disowned the party’s candidate in the November 18 governorship election in Anambra state, Chief Valentine Onwuka.
Avazi told Daily Sun yesterday that Onwuka was neither a card-carrying member of the party nor has he made any financial commitment to the party. He insisted that the candidate is member of United Progressive Party (UPP), but might have been ‘smuggled’ into the party at the ‘eleventh hour’ by some senior officials for their selfish reasons.
He said: “As the chairman of our party, I cannot remember such a person being a member of our party. Even defectors are welcome but the case of the candidate never reached my table for such purposes. However, the national auditor, Ismail Ayodele; national secretary, Akin Fashogbon; and several others must have done the illegal job and the consequences awaits them when the right time comes.
“I only asked these party officials to constitute a committee to supervise the party’s primary election in Anambra state, but they went there and did whatever they wanted, and chose someone who is neither a member nor is he known to the party as a governorship candidate.”
In his response, Onwuka denied the allegations, and described the suspended chairman as “a wounded animal that is fighting for survival.”
“Having been suspended for anti-party activities, he is seeking every means to cause crisis in the party, with the intention of creating confusion and division which might affect our chances in the election” Onwuka said.
He admitted that he was a UPP member but resigned properly to seek the fulfilment of his political ambition on the platform of AD.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party accused Avazi of working against the interest and constitution of the party. The national body said he was incompetent, dictatorial and allegedly tried to turn the party to a family affair by illegally engaging his brother to carry out the responsibilities of the national secretary among other anti party activities.
A seven-man disciplinary committee was set up to investigate the allegations in line with relevant provisions of the party’s constitution.
In the interim, Alhaji Ayodele Ismail, has been appointed on acting capacity pending the outcome of the investigation on the all allegations against the suspended chairman.