Jonathan, PDP governors intervene in Ebonyi crisis

President Goodluck Jonathan and some Peoples Democratic Party governors on Tuesday intervened in the crisis currently engulfing the Ebonyi State chapter of the party.

The crisis has pitched Governor Martin Elechi against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim; and the Deputy Governor who is also the party governorship candidate, Dave Umahi.

Another dimension was introduced into the disagreement last week when the state House of Assembly served a notice of impeachment on the governor.

Jonathan presided over a meeting on the matter also attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo; Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Sullivan Chime (Enugu); Elechi; Umahi and Anyim.

The meeting which lasted over three hours however appeared to have failed to resolve the crisis as Elechi who emerged from the President’s office venue refused to speak with State House correspondents.

The governor who was walking briskly ahead of his deputy said, “Please I am not here to answer your questions,” when journalists approached him.

When he noticed that our correspondent was recording him, Elechi raised his walking stick and threatened to break the recorder.

Suswam however later confirmed to journalists that the Ebonyi issue was one of the matters discussed at the meeting.

He said the meeting was “almost at the solution to the problem.”

He said despite his behaviour to journalists, Elechi did not storm out of the meeting.

“I don’t think he (Elechi) stormed out of the meeting. We ended the meeting properly. Yes, there are problems in Ebonyi. One of the issues discussed at the meeting was that of Ebonyi but we are almost at the solution to the problem.The meeting ended amicably, I don’t think he stormed out of the meeting,” Suswam explained.

The governor further said apart from the Ebonyi issue, the President also called the meeting as part of preparations for the general elections.

“We are going close to elections and so the President is trying to calibrate the party properly for victory; calibration of anything takes time. We are discussing issues of the party that can enhance our victory come March 28 and April 11,” he added.

Suswam said despite the challenges being faced by the party, the PDP would win the coming elections.

He said nothing could shop the party.

“We are more than ever prepared to win this election and we are going to win it,” he declared.