The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi State chapter on Tuesday debunked a media report that one Chidiebere Egwu had emerged as the new Southeast Vice Chairman, replacing Chief Ali Odefa.

In a statement in Abakaliki, the state Chairman and Secretary, Mr. Onyemaechi Nwele and Ogbuefi Zacheus, noted that Chief Odefa remained the authentic National Vice Chairman for the Southeast, describing the purported removal and replacement of Odefa as ridiculous, laughable, and absurd.

It will be recalled that a media report had shown that Chidiebere Egwu had emerged as the new National Vice Chairman of PDP Southeast. However, in a swift response, the party noted that the state chapter had never authorized such a ?criminal act of illegally removing a national officer of the party.?

The PDP said, ?The same Chidiebere Egwu is still currently standing trial in an Abakaliki State High Court for impersonation and forgery over this same matter.?

The PDP officers in the state emphasized that they have no constitutional powers to remove any elected national officer of the party, stressing that the purported replacement of Ali Odefa was yet another case of impersonation, which the party has recently suffered from due to the activities of disgruntled elements bent on destroying the party in the state.

Ebonyi PDP further reiterated that the purported replacement of the Southeast National Vice Chairman was the figment of the imagination of the same actors who were desperate to hijack political power by any means.

?The attention of the Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has been drawn to the laughable, ridiculous, and obnoxious claim of the replacement of the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Southeast zone, Chief Ali Odefa.

?We therefore state that this is the height of recklessness from the same disgruntled elements who are bent on destroying PDP because they failed in the election in the state.

?We would have ignored the latest development because we are familiar with the antics of these actors, but hiding under the cover of Ebonyi State PDP shows that it has become a joke taken too far.

?Ebonyi State PDP distances itself from that criminal manipulation and distortion of the reality of the party in the state, as Southeast zone National Vice Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, has stepped up his efforts in advancing the fortunes of the party in the zone,? the statement said.

The party further warned that any member who foments trouble or causes disarray within the party would be disciplined in accordance with the party?s constitution.

They also called on all members of the PDP to disregard the replacement, as it was the handiwork of mischief makers. (The Guardian)