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.
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