By Abasi Ita,Calabar
The suspended State Chairman of the People Democratic Party,Venatius Ikem Esq has accused the Senator representing Cross River North, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe of orchestrating his purported suspension for political reasons.
Ikem who was reacting to the recent upheavals in the party culminating in his suspension alleged that the federal lawmaker is the mastermind of the plot to oust him from the chairmanship position of the party.
He stated that he refusal to inherit the perceived political enemies of Senator Jarigbe is the root cause of the clandestine move to remove him from office as the state Chairman of the PDP in Cross River state.
According to Vena; In my last conversation with Senator Jarigbe,he complained bitterly that the House of Representatives member for Bekwara, Obanliku and Obudu, Peter Akpanke is hobnobbing with APC so for that reason I should not support him , what is the meaning of hobnobbing with APC? I reminded him that he got supports from many people who are in the APC during the election so he can’t stop seeing them because they are his constituents too.
” He also said that APC is grooming Peter to run against him in 2027 and Peter vehemently denied the insinuation.
“My crime is that I am not hobnobbing but supporting one who is hobnobbing with the APC. But my own offence is the frequent visits of the deputy governor to my house and that party members are complaining so for the reason of politics I should not welcome the deputy governor who has been my long standing friend.
The question is: Should the deputy governor of my state not visit me because I am in another political party? No, I refuse to play that kind of politics. Political difference can not supercede friendship. I don’t know if he is not interacting with members of other political parties there in the Senate. Why will my interaction become suspicious, these are my crimes that will not be stated in the charge sheet because they are not offences known to the party .
On the probability of defecting to the APC,he resorted;”No, I don’t have any intention but if you push me what will I do., I am still active. If you push me out in this manner despite my resolve and I’ve told him always, I’ve told them I am not ready for that kind of politics, so if you are in my shoes, what will you do?
“He said he has calculated and it does not matter if I move against him so no problem. So if you are not looking for a fight and somebody brings a fight to you, what will you do? if they push you against the wall you’ll fight back. If they set up all these to embarrass me, no problem but it has consequences. So all these things are being orchestrated by Senator Jarigbe for his own ego as the leader of the party but the party has no position like that. We flatter ourselves with all sorts of positions. Is it because the party is not in government? He queried.
He described the allegations levelled against him as frivolous and a cover up arguing that he runs an transparent admission and financial process accessible to all members of the party executive.
” I am a stickler for due process. Every money meant for the party is paid to the account of the party and I am not the sole signatory to the account. I challenge those accusing me of financial impropriety to come out with proofs.
“The process leading up to my suspension is illegal and fall short of due process in all ramifications. Already I have told my closed allies that I was tired of leading the party because majority of our members are yet to come to terms with the reality of being in an opposition party. If not, I would have challenge my removal in court. The actual offences behind the removal are not listed on the charge sheet because there are not known to the constitution of the party”