THISDAYonline

The newly re-instated executive of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra state has accused the state Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige of sponsoring state terrorism.

The party executives accused the governor of being the brain behind the recent alleged Petrol bomb attack on the stakeholders meeting held at the Marble Arch Hotels, Awka last Tuesday week. The governor however denied the allegation which he said was designed to divert people's attention from the atrocities of the Uba group.

The secretary to the state chapter of PDP, Chief Reuben O.C Okpalaoka in a statement titled: "Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige; A Terrorist: Petrol Bomb Attack on Anambra PDP stakeholders, Tuesday, November 25, 2003," said the petrol bomb attack on the party's leadership was a design by God to expose the terrorist tendencies of the governor and his cohorts to the people of the state.

"It is clear that it is the governor who engineered the foiled petrol bomb attack on us during the stakeholders meeting," he said. Okpalaoka added that in spite of the unwarranted attack and similar ones on the "loyalists of our caucus leader, Chief Chris Uba in the past, apparently by Dr. Ngige's recruited terrorists, our Caucus leader, Uba had always called for restraint because of his love for the state and the people who had at all times shown him an overwhelming support."

The secretary alleged in the statement that prior to the stake-holders meeting Tuesday last week, there was a meeting held at the Government lodge, Awka, which was presided over by the governor himself and which had Chief Okay Muo-Aro, (the governor's special Assistant on House of Assembly); Chief Basil Iwuoba (the special adviser, special duties), the security adviser, Mr. Theo. Ozoigbo, the chief security officer(CSO) Government House, chief Jude Osude, Chief Dan Ulasi, (chairman, PDP caretaker Committee) and some of the recruited members of the newly launched Anambra state security outfit.

The governor, he alleged had after addressing the gathering released the sum of N10m, 42 guns of all types and five cartons of live ammunitions to ensure that the reinstated state executive of the PDP does not take over the party nor be allowed safe movement in the state.

The governor who spoke through his special Assistant on media and publicity, Mr. Fred Chuwkuelobe said he had no hand in the petrol bomb incident. He said the incident was planned and executed by the secretary, Okpalaoka and his colleagues to create the impression that the governor is a trouble maker who does not want peace. "It is part of the plan to prevent the governor from pressing ahead with his populist-oriented programmes which are endearing him to the hearts of Anambra people." he said.

The governor said he would not be distracted but will remain focused no matter the amount of provocation from the other group. He also described as "further lies," the allegation of embezzlement of public funds, levelled against him. He added that he wouldn't have saved money to reconstruct roads, pay workers, teachers and pensioners regularly and reactivate dead taps if he had been stealing government money.

But the party secretary, Okpalaoka disagreed, saying the special committee set up by the governor had vowed that the stakeholders meeting at Marble Arch Hotels in Awka would be their first target which they actually did. He asked: "Is this a man to rule as a governor? To rule in violence? No. This is not the character of PDP anywhere. A man who after signing his resignation letter turns round to say that he did not sign it"?

The state PDP, the secretary said, had called on the Inspector General of Police and the SSS to immediately direct their respective commands in Anambra state to investigate urgently and bring to book those responsible for the bomb attack at the PDP stakeholders meeting and other planned attacks.

Meanwhile, Anambra State chapter of the PDP, Mr. Obi Ifeatu Okoye has described as unlawful and unconstitutional the state High Court's order restraining him and his executive committee from parading themselves as the party's executive committee in the state.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Okoye said the order is "a gross abuse of court's order as a state High Court cannot assume appellate status over the judgement of another High Court."

An Awka High Court in Anambra State presided by Justice V.N Umeh had last week granted an interim injunction restraining the reinstated PDP Executive Committee in the state from acting in that capacity.

According to Okoye: "The court order obtained by the Chief Dan Ulasi's dissolved caretaker committee is a nullity. The Federal and State High Courts are courts of coordinate jurisdiction."

"One cannot sit on appeal over the other. If the Ulasi led Caretaker Committee which stands dissolved has a grouse against the judgement of the Abuja High Court, the only option available to them is to go to the Court of Appeal," he said.

Okoye further stated that "The Ulasi led Caretaker Committee which has been dissolved know that they do not have the locus to file an appeal as the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) has said it will not appeal the Abuja High Court judgement."

"The NEC which is a principal has dissolved the Caretaker Committee which was an agent it set up. So how can an agent turn around to usurp the powers of its principal?

"I am not bothered neither will I allow myself to be distracted by such frivolous court orders. There is a lot of work to be done in the state's PDP," he said.