Female Ebonyi Lawmaker Says Her Entitlements Haven't Been Paid For Refusing To Join Ruling APC Party

Ngozi Eziulo, a female lawmaker, has alleged maltreatment by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly over her refusal to dump the Peoples Democratic Party to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, according to SaharaReporters.

Eziulo, a member representing Afikpo North East State Constituency said she has been denied her entitlements since she refused to join the APC after the governor defected, News Wire reports. 

'The female lawmaker denounced letters that were read on the floor of the House, stating that she defected to the APC and resigned as a member of the House.

On Monday, the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru read a letter alleging that the female lawmaker had resigned her membership of the House and defected to the APC.

But speaking to journalists in Abakaliki, Eziulo said she never wrote such documents, describing the so-called resignation as false. 

“I never wrote the letter and can never write such letter. I am still wondering how they came about such a letter. That letter is a forgery. If they said I have resigned, let them bring such a letter let me see it with my signature.

“I am considering legal action because that letter is forged and you know forgery is a criminal offence,” she said.

The lawmaker said she had no reason to leave the PDP, which she said had been good to her.

She was absent during the plenary when the said letters were read on her behalf on the floor of the House.

Eziulo also alleged that she had not been paid her salary and other entitlements since Governor David Umahi defected to the APC from the PDP, and she refused to also defect.

“Ever since the Governor defected, I have not been paid my entitlement including salary. When I asked, they said their reason is that I have not joined them in APC, that once I join, they will start paying. I told them if that is the condition, I will never join and they are still holding on to it,” she said.

She noted that despite a series of letters and reminders written by her lawyers to the House for her entitlements to be paid, the House has vehemently refused to pay her.

According to her, her life is being threatened by those who are hell-bent on forcing her to join the APC.

“My lawyer has written them twice asking them to pay my entitlements but they have refused. In fact, they have threatened to take my official car. They have also been threatening my life, by saying they will send their thugs after me all because I refused to join them,” she alleged.

The lawmaker said despite not being paid her entitlements, she has always attended sittings and other functions of the House of Assembly.

She vowed not to leave the PDP, saying, “I don’t see any reason why I should leave my party PDP. This is a party that brought me to the House. I am somebody that will ever remain grateful to people that do me good. PDP did me well so I can’t leave the party.

“I have people that voted me into power. I didn’t vote myself into power. So, I can’t just leave without their permission and approval. When the issue of defecting to the APC came up, I asked for time to consult with my constituents and stakeholders who gave me the mandate.

“I consulted them and they told me to remain in PDP, so I remained in PDP. I have a love for my people and they have a love for me. So, if they said I wrote such a letter, I am saying to you here right now that I didn’t write such, it is fake. If they said I wrote and submitted it yesterday, I was in Abuja, so how is that possible?”

She added that the House may be plotting to suspend her from the House very soon.

She said, “I have been quiet in the house but that doesn’t mean I am weak. They should not take my quietness for weakness. I know after this; they will likely suspend me. I won’t be surprised if they do that. They have already planned to suspend me but I am not bothered. I have God and He will fight for me. Justice will always prevail in the long run.

“Since they stopped my salary and entitlements, I have been surviving because God has been providing for me through my stakeholders and party leaders who have stood by me. 

“And that is the reason why I said I can’t leave the party because I have a lot of support from them. Even without being paid my salary and other entitlements, I have been attending plenary and my other legislative duties. I came to the House to provide quality Leadership to my people not for any financial gain. So, I have not allowed the nonpayment of my entitlements to affect my legislative duties.”