Alleged betrayal: LP Stakeholders call for Senator, Umeh’s resignation

By Usman Daniel

The stakeholders of Labour Party in Anambra State, at the weekend allegedly uncovered what they termed an unpatriotic attempt by a serving senator elected on the party’s platform to scuttle the party in the state.

The Stakeholders of the party under the aegis of Dignity in Labour Platform, in a statement signed by it’s leader, Chilokwu Onyeama and issued to newsmen in Abuja allegedly accused the senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial zone, Victor Umeh of working against the Labour Party.

The group, however, described Senator Victor Umeh as a “NEGATIVE VIRUS who pollutes any organization he finds himself in.

The statement reads in part: “the political miscreant, nuisance and emergency Senator Victor Umeh who was roundly rejected by the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA during the last senatorial district election has intensified efforts to bite the fingers that fed him once again.

“Victor Umeh has never done any job in his life except for the position of Personal Assistant to Chief Joseph Anene Okonkwo (Ofia-Duru), during which he enhanced his penchant for notoriety, treachery and dubious skills that characterized him.

Onyeama further disclosed that Senator Umeh who was rescued by the Labour Party, LP from a ‘shameful humiliation’ when he lost the APGA senatorial ticket has now abandoned his “emergency senatorial obligations” for dangerous party politics, by mobilizing underground support to destroy Labour Party that saved him from national disgrace.

“Victor Umeh, the political miscreant was the one that allegedly orchestrated the destabilization of Labour Party and convinced Governor Alex Otti who Victor Umeh collected N2b from in 2013 to give Abia State APGA governorship ticket against those who were in the party like Chief Chike Udensi.

“Any money Umeh has earned today was gotten from public funds, as well as the politicians over the years through sale of party nomination forms for a series of imaginary elections that were never held. He showed interest in running for elections into public offices in APGA when he was the National Chairman of APGA for 16 years.

“He can even sink into the grave once money is involved and this is a testament of his greed and love of money above any other interests. Wherever he enters, he scatters (Obata-Osu).

“This same character is the reason behind non conduct of local government election in Anambra State because he was using the situation to fleece aspirants. After collecting money from aspirants, he will use a pseudo to sue the party and that has been his stock in trade.

“Sadly, some of these aspirants had to borrow money from banks and other financial institutions, only to have their dreams shattered by Umeh.

“With everything he said about Peter Obi he swallowed his pride and disgracefully collected Labour Party ticket out of desperation.

Victor Umeh, after friends contributed money for his daughter’s wedding in Lagos; when it came to bringing out drinks he said he purchased for the event, he quietly through his security aide released tear gas into the hall in order to disperse his guests and cover his mess.

The stakeholders also said: “In further demonstration of his insatiable appetite for fraud and greed, Senator Victor Umeh who obviously has no conscience, betrayed Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu whom he swore publicly not to abandon irrespective of the political circumstances.

“After taking an oath of allegiance In Ojukwu’s grave, he dumped Ojukwu and his APGA uniform, jumped over to LP, and declared APGA as a useless party, just because of senatorial ticket. How else can a man be described as extremely desperate?

“This was a man that Mr. Peter Obi paid the sum of N20 million naira every month for 8 good years. Her Excellency Dame Virgy Etiaba during her short tenure in office as Anambra state governor keyed into this miscreant Umeh’s blackmail and was paying same amount on a monthly basis. His Excellency, Willie Obiano could not resist the antics of this bad influencer, Victor Umeh and his nuisance character, so he continued paying him the money with an increment to 30 million monthly.

Onyeama said trouble began at the inception of Governor Charles Soludo administration when Soludo allegedly refused to continue with the payment to Umeh, saying that there was no justification for the exploitation and unnecessary squandering of Anambra people’s money.

“At that point, Victor Umeh started acting like a bull in a China shop, before he was rescued by Labour Party to fill the gap for the party senatorial ticket within his constituency. With everything he said about Peter Obi he swallowed his pride and disgracefully collected Labour Party ticket out of desperation.

The stakeholders further accused Senator Umeh of working against the interest of Ndigbo by frustrating the aspiration of Igbo man to become Inspector General of Police.

“Umeh was at the forefront in the scheming to elongate the tenure of the current Inspector General of Police. He knew quite well the the next in rank is an Igbo man and the elongation of the tenure of Egbotekun would not favour the people of the South East.

“Build up to the election of the Senate President, everybody excepted Umeh who professes to be a Christian and Catholic for that matter to support a Christian Senate President when the country had already elected Muslim President and Vice President. But Umeh shamelessly accepted to become Director of Finance for Senator Yari’s campaign of becoming Senate President.

“This attests further to his penchant for money and never the interest of the people. His reasons for choosing another senate President of Muslim background was purely to position himself in a place to siphon the money meant for the senate.

The group further called on the National leadership of Labour Party, LP to be weary of Umeh whom they described as a serial betrayer ahead of general elections.

They further accused Senator Umeh of hoarding the N200M naira worth of rice given to each senator as part of Presidential palliative programme and other incentives.

“He hoarded the N200 million Naira worth of rice given to each senator to share to their constituents. When it came to Umeh’s own, he merely shared handful of rice that was not worth up to N5m and pocketed the rest. That is why we are calling on him to honourably resign and leave the senate.

“There are young and vibrant people in Anambra central who can do better than him. He has overstayed his relevance in the senate and we are calling on his constituents to start process of recalling him because he has become a liability to Ndi Anambra Central. It’s high time Umeh went back to his former and last occupation which is local government agent.

“His last assignment was a mere local government agent for Chukwuma Soludo’s election. Let him retire and give the younger generation chance to make the difference because he’s becoming a clog in the wheels of our progress.

The Nations News Nigeria reports that senator Umeh nor his media aide is yet to reply to the claims by the labour party group, and also, all efforts put forward in getting him speak on the issue at the time of filing this report proved abortive.