I never said former Ebonyi gov is behind Onueke killings ― Ucha

Senator Ucha, who said he never granted an interview to the said National dailies, regretted why such evil comment be attributed to him. He further described the report credited to him as a misinterpretation of fact.

According to him, is capable of causing more war in the state, he urged the former governor, party faithful and the general public to disregard the said publication as he never granted any form of an interview to the reporter of the said newspaper organisation.

Briefing journalists, on the outcome of 5th October APC crises from the party Secretariat down to  Onueke, Senator Ucha,  said he never heard the former governor contribute to the argument. He maintained that the electoral committee chairman was the only one who said that a certain man old said, if the direct primaries do not hold, there will be war.

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Senator Ucha,  while commending the security agencies including the Commissioner of Police and Director of State security for their positive roles during the crises, urged them to bring the culprits to book.

His words “When we were at the party secretariat, the former Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi was there, I didn’t hear him say anything even when I was speaking and when I finished speaking, I did not hear him say anything. The former governor never said such and  The only person that I heard who was saying something was the acting chairman of the electoral committee.
“He was saying that a certain old man was saying that if the direct primaries did not hold, there would be war, so I did not hear the former Governor say anything. I never heard the former Governor say that heads will roll. If somebody attributed that to me I have been quoted out of context.”

“I think the report is a misrepresentation of fact. I never made a statement alluding such publication to anybody, let alone the former Governor to be behind the killings because I did not know who is behind the killings. That matter is for the security personnel to unveil.

 “What I know is this, as we were going to Onueke I was called by Comrade Chinedu Ogah to come to the party office along Abakaliki – Afikpo Road. So, I went there and listen to arguments of the primary election committee and some leaders were there.

“The impression was that they were going for direct primaries. But I said direct primaries cannot hold in Ebonyi because the party has passed a resolution and communicated INEC that Ebonyi state was for the indirect primary.

 “And I questioned the validity of the direct primaries and why election committee was at the party secretariat. Because the business of primary election was for the committee to pay a courtesy call to the party and they go away to do their job.

“They were not to be dictated for by anybody. I was surprised that the primary election committee was at the party secretariat and was arguing whether to do direct or indirect primaries when they have a mandate from the national secretariat.

 “I said the primary election committee has no power to change the goal post at the middle of the game. For them to talk about direct primaries they must go back to Abuja, convoke a meeting of the national working committee and make a resolution and communicate back to INEC that Ebonyi central senatorial zone was to use direct primaries, otherwise nobody would change the position of the party, not even through a telephone conversation.

 “For them to talk about direct primaries they must return to Abuja and follow due process. Neither the party at Abakaliki nor the primary election committee has the authority to communicate to INEC on the mode of the elections that was my argument.

 “But after that arguments, the primary election committee saw reasons and decided to move. Just as they were trying to leave the party secretariat, one of them, I think the acting chairman of the election committee said the file he was holding was snatched from him and one of them escaped, left and the  other one was arrested I think the acting chairman and he was rescued by the Directorate of State Security Service.

 “That was what happened and then we left to Onueke. As we were at Onueke accreditation had finished and voting commenced then, we started hearing gunshots, people were killed vehicles were burnt, the primary elections were halted by hoodlums who started shooting guns and killing people,” he expressed.

“We thank the commissioner of Police, the Director of DSS and other security agencies for their role to calm the situation. The party also at that time decided to change the venue of the election and it was held peaceful and the votes were counted,” He said.

 Senator Julius Ucha debunking the report credit to him by one national newspaper.