BY CHINENYEH OZOR

Nsukka—The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State, is probing alleged reports that a gubernatorial aspirant for the 2015 election in the state illegally administered oath on some local government delegates from Igboeze North Local Government Area to get votes during the party primaries.

The probe panel is headed by Chief Mike Ejinima, a former deputy director of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and vice chairman of PDP in Enugu North Senatorial District.

It was learnt that the aspirant who hails from Ojebe-Ogone, part of Nsukka, reportedly administered oaths on some of the local government ward officers  after giving each of them about N200,000.

The money-for-vote scandal was said to have caused crises in the party, as members complained that it was unthinkable that anybody could take some party faithful to a shrine in a bid to win an election that was two years away when nobody knew what would even happen tomorrow.

However, the state chapter of the party was said to have waded into the matter, following a unanimous motion by the 20 councillors in Igboeze North Local Government, asking the party to intervene in the matter.

According to the councillors, the ward chairmen and officials involved in the oath-taking should be tried and punished.

There was tension in the area, even as the councillors passed a resolution condemning the development, while affirming their confidence in the chairman of the council, Mr. Bona Onu, the party chairman, Mr. Luke Uroko.  Uroko, the party chairman being accused by the break-away party officials of being high-handed.

The eight-point resolution of the council’s legislative arm was signed by the leader of the legislature, Kenneth Odo, and his deputy, Tochi Mama as well as the other 18 councillors.

It stated that “we condemn the oath-taking by some PDP officials in some of the electoral wards, and thereby mortgaging their conscience, contrary to the constitution of the party.

“As leaders of these wards, we state that this barbaric conduct is unacceptable in the politics of our local government area and we hereby urge the party to address this matter strictly in accordance with the party’s constitution as a way of deterring others from engaging in this type of shameful behaviour,” the statement said.