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…Am still a bonafide member of PDP

…I know after this Briefing my suspension might be followed suit

Peter Okutu, Abakaliki

The member representing Afikpo North East State Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Ngọzi Eziulo, Tuesday stressed that the letters that read on the floor of the House, announcing her defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC and resignation as a member of the House were forged documents.

The first-term female Lawmaker who denied writing such documents stated this while briefing Newsmen in Abakaliki.

“I never wrote the letter and can never write such letter. I am still wondering how they came about such a letter. That letter is a forgery. If they said I have resigned, let them bring such a letter let me see it with my signature.

“I am considering legal action because that letter is forged and you know forgery is a criminal offence”.

The Lawmaker said she has no reason to leave the party which has been so good to her.

The Ebonyi State House of Assembly had on Monday read a letter alleging that the female Lawmaker had resigned her membership of the House even as she defected to the APC.

She was reacting to the letter purportedly written by her and read on the floor of the House by Speaker Francis Nwifuru.

The Lawmaker was absent during the plenary when the said letters were read on her behalf on the floor of the House.

The female Lawmaker further insisted that she never authored such a letter and challenged the House leadership to produce a copy of such a letter bearing her name and signature to prove that she wrote it.

Hon. Eziulo alleged that she has not been paid her salary and other entitlements since Governor David Umahi defected to All Progressive Congress (APC) even as she refused to join the APC.

“Ever since the Governor defected, I have not been paid my entitlement including salary. When I asked, they said their reason is that I have not joined them in APC, that once I join, they will start paying. I told them if that is the condition, I will never join and they are still holding on to it”, she said.

She noted that despite a series of letters and reminders by her Lawyers to the House for her entitlements to be paid the House has vehemently refused to pay her.

According to her, her life was being threatened by those who are hell-bent on forcing her to join the APC.

“My Lawyer has written them twice asking them to pay my entitlement but they have refused. In fact they have threatened to take my official car. They have also been threatening my life, by saying they will send their thugs after me all because I refused to join them”, she alleged.

The Lawmaker said despite not being paid her entitlements, she has always attended sittings and other functions of the Ebonyi State house of Assembly.

She vowed to remain with the PDP as the party’s stakeholders and Leaders have stood by her since her ordeal started in the house last year.

“I don’t see any reason why I should leave my party PDP. This is a party that brought me to the House. I am somebody that will ever remain grateful to people that do me good. PDP did me well so I can’t leave the party.

“I have people that voted me into power. I didn’t vote myself into power. So I can’t just leave without their permission and approval. when the issue of defecting to the APC came up, I asked for time to consult with my constituents and stakeholders who gave me the mandate.

“I consulted them and they told me to remain in PDP, so I remained in PDP. I have a love for my people and they have a love for me. So if they said I wrote such a letter, I am saying to you here right now that I didn’t write much, it is fake. If they said I wrote and submitted it yesterday, I was in Abuja, so how is that possible?”.

According to the female Lawmaker, the House may be plotting to suspend me from the House very soon.

“I have been quiet in the house but that doesn’t mean I am weak. They should not take my quietness for weakness. I know after this, they will likely suspend me. I won’t be surprised if they do that. They have already planned to suspend me but I am not bothered. I have God and He will fight for me. Justice will always prevail in the long run.

“Since they stopped my salary and entitlements, I have been surviving because God has been providing for me through my stakeholders and party leaders who have stood by me.

“And that is the reason why I said I can’t leave the party because I have a lot of support from them. Even without being paid my salary and other entitlements, I have been attending plenary and my other legislative duties. I came to the House to provide quality Leadership to my people not for any financial gain. So I have not allowed the non-payment of my entitlements to affect my legislative duties.”

There are many many questions still begging for an answer, following the development that took place, on Monday during plenary even as political analysts believe that with time, these questions will be answered by the leadership of Ebonyi State House of Assembly. Ends

Pic: The member representing Afikpo North East State Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon Ngọzi Eziulo