Five governorship candidates known as Coalition of Ebonyi State Frontline Governorship candidates have alerted President Muhammad Buhari, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba and the entire Nigerians over the alleged intimidation and attacks on the opposition parties by Governor David Umahi's led administration in the state.
LR: President Muhammad Buhari, IGP Usman Alkali Baba and Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
The members of Coalition of Ebonyi State Frontline Governorship candidates included the Labour Party (LP), Dr (Sir) Edward Nkwegu; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ifeanyi Odii; Action Alliance, (AA) Engineer Chukwuma Nwandugo; All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), Prof. Benard Odoh and Young Peoples Congress (YPP), Engr Dr Sunday Opoke.
They accused Governor Umahi's leadership of attacking the members of the opposition parties through the instrumentalities of security operatives especially the men of Ebubeagu South East Security and the Nigerian Police Force in the state.
This was contained in a communique which they issued on Sunday, with the caption, "Actions Capable of Endangering the 2023 General Elections in Ebonyi State."
The five gubernatorial candidates said, "it is regrettable that barely one week after our people celebrated the 26th anniversary of the creation of the state, strange and unimaginable things began to happen.
"The first sign of the descent to fascism was when some civil servants were publicly flogged by security forces on the directives of the state chief executive.
"The flogging of civil servants and greater inhuman acts were meted out to innocent citizens who were engaged in a walk for peace for Mr Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP). Without provocation or disorderly conduct, these harmless and unarmed citizens were pelted with teargas and clubbed in reckless abandon, maiming and wounding many.
"That inexplicable attack on Obidient supporters of the Labour Party and Peter Obi is called, showed that the state government has adopted tyranny and disdain for political freedom as its strategy for repression.
"As if those shows of shame were not enough, our people woke up two Sundays ago to the strange news of the abduction of a former two-term member of the House of Representatives, Hon Linus Abaa Okorie, in Abakaliki, the state capital.
"While Ebonyians were roused by concerns for the whereabouts and safety of the former federal lawmaker, it was revealed that Hon. Linus Okorie disappeared by operatives of the Ebubeagu militia, which operates with impunity at the orders of the state governor.
"Nigerians, particularly Ebonyians at home and abroad, were surprised by the chilling stories of barbarism from the state, which suggested a descent to established sponsored terrorism.
"And, to make matters worse, based on the national outrage sparked by the abduction and torture of Hon. Linus Okorie, the Ebonyi State government, working in cahoots with some overzealous security personnel in the state, hurriedly levied charges on Okorie.
"The speed with which the police and the magistrate court accomplished the arraignment and incarceration of Okorie left nobody in doubt that a clear case of a political witch-hunt and a brazen attempt to levy fear on members of the opposition political parties was on display.
"The development generated alarm, curiosity and much concern given that Hon. Linus Okorie is the Senatorial candidate of the Labour party for the February 25 National Assembly election. By his candidacy, the LP is a major contender for the Ebonyi South Senatorial seat as Governor David Umahi.
"Nigerians remember that similar strong-arm tactics were deployed by the governor to displace Mrs Anne Agom-Eze from the Senatorial contest within their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
"But, all pretences that a well-coordinated plan to frighten away political rivals and create a state of helplessness for Ebonyi State voters were being executed disappeared, when the governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof. Benard Odoh, and his supporters were attacked by same gun-wielding Ebubeagu guerrillas.
"Prof. Odoh has made necessary reports to the appropriate authorities about the attempt on his life and the destruction of campaign vehicles.
"As if that was not enough, a key supporter of the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, Mr Uzoma Ani, was also disappeared since Thursday, October 20, 2022. The young Ani was reported missing after arriving at Abakaliki on his way from Akanu Ibiam International Airport en route to his country home, Umuezeukwu Onicha Igboeze of Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
"Like other Gestapo abductions, it is being speculated that Uzoma Ani may have been abducted by the Ebubeagu militia and undergoing torture at its secret torture chamber at the Old Ebonyi State Government House, Abakaliki.
"Based on the foregoing, it has become apparent that Governor David Umahi has perfected plans to unleash violence on opposition political parties to ensure that they do not freely campaign for votes in readiness for next year’s general elections.
"Nigerians are well aware of the violent tendencies of the outgoing Ebonyi State governor, which time will not permit us to chronicle, particularly his aversion to free contest and democratic ideals.
"It is necessary to note that Umahi’s frustration and malevolence heightened after his misadventure of defecting to the unpopular APC without the full complement of PDP stakeholders as he envisaged. As such, having been left alone as a General without troops, Umahi now thinks that the only way to assert dominance in the Ebonyi polity is through violence and mayhem.
"We want to use this opportunity therefore to alert Nigerians about the mischievous and desperate antics of Governor Umahi, which is capable of thwarting the 2023 general elections."
The five governorship candidates resolved, "that the Inspector General of Police should call his men in Ebonyi State to order and keep to the highest standard of professionalism by refusing to serve the evil intentions of Governor Umahi towards the forthcoming polls."
They said "that the Ebubeagu militia is dismantled as a matter of urgent national security imperative, and called for "the apprehension and prosecution of all Ebubeagu militia members that were involved in the attacks on Linus Okorie and Prof. Benard Odoh, as well as swift investigations into the sudden disappearance of Mr Uzoma Ani."
They said, "that President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, reins in Governor Umahi and his murderous gang before they abort the 2023 general election."
They appealed to the leaders of the National Peace Committee to consider the necessity of administering oaths of good conduct and non-violence on Umahi and all those contesting for elective positions in Ebonyi State.
The governorship hopefuls thus maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should take cognisant notice of the dire situation in Ebonyi State to evolve necessary containment measures ahead of the 2023 polls in the state to ensure that INEC staff are not disappeared like other victims of the Ebubeagu terror gang.
