From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
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Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
Governor David Umahi has cleared that no political party was exempted from complying with the Ebonyi state executive order on the use of public facilities for the 2023 electioneering campaigns.
Umahi has recently signed the Ebonyi State Executive Order 3 of 2022 which placed a conditional ban on holding political rallies in the public facilities of the state.
NATIONAL PANEL learnt that the executive order will restrict every political party from holding rallies in Ebonyi public schools, markets, motor parks and other facilities unless a refundable payment of five million Naira (N5m) made to the Ebonyi State government account if approved by the State Ministry in charged.
The new development has been widely condemned by the general public especially the political actors from the opposition parties in the state.
The signing of an executive order by Governor Umahi-led government was also condemned by the Coalition of United Political Parties in Enugu on the 6th of November 2022.
Reacting, Governor Umahi said that there was no party exempted from complying with the executive order because it "came as a proactive response to imminent security breaches in the state. "
Umahi through his Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Chooks Oko on Monday said, his ''attention has been drawn to a Press Conference addressed jointly by the Coalition of United Political Parties and other faceless groups in Enugu on the 6th of November, 2022 in which they ignorantly levelled unfounded allegations against his people-oriented government in Ebonyi State.''
The governor said: "We wouldn't have bothered reacting to such a farce except for the need to set the records straight for posterity, and for the interest of the good people of the State whose sensibilities may have been insulted by the ridiculous diatribe."
He described the statement by the group as "baseless allegations."
According to him, "the said Press briefing addressed by the group in Enugu by people claiming to be indigenes of the State portrays a malicious intention, thereby exposing the group as a hired syndicate dancing the drums of its paymasters to destabilize the peace in Ebonyi State.
"There was never a time the state government, under the leadership of our peace-loving Governor, Engr. David Umahi, CON, interfered or intends to interfere with the campaigns of other Political Parties in the State."
Umahi said, as the Chief Security Officer of the State, he has the responsibility to ensure the safety of the lives of citizens, as well as that of both public and private property in the State.
He recalled that there has previously been an avalanche of evidence where public properties including schools, markets, parks and other institutional open spaces and structures were destroyed or badly defaced by unruly political party supporters during their gatherings.
He noted that school children have been put into undue danger and panic, saying such a development, coupled with the need to restore sanity amid the already fake news-induced tension in the State birthed Executive Order 03 of 2022 which, in his words, is principally aimed at safeguarding the lives of all citizens, including all political parties and their supporters.
He, however, hinted, "the public must be made to understand that the Executive Order does not exclude nor targeted any political party in the State, no matter what name it is called: APC, PDP, APGA, LP, NNPP, AA, etc. All must comply."
He said his government never banned completely the use of such public spaces for gatherings, but simply prescribed that intending users should follow certain set-out procedures to have access to such premises, including applying for approval from the Ministry in charge of such the facility and a refundable deposit of a specified sum of money as indemnity against any untoward occurrence in the course of usage.
"Rest assured of a refund of the deposit if all goes well. For the avoidance of doubt, Executive Order 3 of 2022 has come to stay. Anybody feeling otherwise is free to approach the law court," Umahi added.
Destroyed Billboards in Ebonyi State
Speaking on the issue of Billboards in Ebonyi, Governor Umahi said no political party or candidate has so far destroyed the Billboards of the opponent in the state.
He observed that "what has taken place over time is the enforcement of payment of prescribed fees for outdoor advertisement by the Ministry of Capital City Development.
"Let it be clear that Billboards erected without due process and necessary payments shall be brought down, irrespective of the party involved."
Alleged Abduction of Ebonyi South Senatorial Candidate
On the alleged abduction of the Labour Party senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial District, Linus Okorie and others as declared by the group, the governor described the allegations as baseless and mischievous one.
He alleged that the group was in its extensive attempts to raise the alleged false alarm to truncate the course of justice in the law court.
In his words, "probably, the group needs to be updated that the Police had in a Press Statement on October 17, 2022, maintained that those purportedly said to have been abducted or kidnapped were lawfully arrested and were in safe custody.
"The police, apparently worried by the activities of these mischievous elements further warned in the statement that "people should desist from painting pictures of insecurity in the State by propagating unfounded rumours."
Alleged Flogging of Civil Servants in Ebonyi State
Governor Umahi while reacting on "the alleged flogging of Civil Servants as alluded to in the ill-fated Press briefing, the group unwittingly exposed their biases giving credence to the fact of their being sponsored by certain paymasters to malign" his administrative impacts in the state.
He said: "They feigned ignorance of the fact that the video was a doctored enterprise of enemies of the State government.
"They also willingly sold their sense of objectivity for temporary cash gains in not recognizing that the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ebonyi State chapter, had nailed the allegation in a Press Statement on 25th October 2022, in which they came open to condemn the malicious video, asserting categorically that no civil servant, from its rigorous investigations, was flogged in such a place and time as purported in the video.
"The group and their cohorts cannot stampede the State governor to renege on his security responsibility by levelling unfounded allegations against a formal civilian vigilante outfit, Ebubeagu, which is backed by an act of the State House of Assembly.
"It is a generally acknowledged fact in the State that the outfit has effectively complemented the efforts of the Police in drastically minimizing crime and criminal activities.
"Anyone or group calling for its prescription needs their cupboards properly examined. Good a thing, the Police have on several occasions confirmed the lawful handover of arrested suspects to them by Ebubeagu.
"It is quite evident that the allegations against the Ebubeagu vigilante service are simply cover-ups for those intending to perpetrate violence and crime in the State as none of them has provided any evidence of torture by the outfit.
"It, therefore, raises a question mark on the integrity of such a group surreptitiously claiming an interest in the well-being of citizens.
"If by the outing they have become parties to advocating a porous society devoid of vigilance, even as the 2023 general elections draw closer, their activities need to be reviewed urgently.
"We wish to further make it categorically clear to the group and their collaborators that the Ebonyi State government under the able and concerned leadership of our democratic Governor will not fold its arms and watch them and others of their sort, throw the State into panic through fake news and unsubstantiated allegations."
Ebonyi outgone Commissioner of Police saga
Governor Umahi seized the medium to appreciate the outgone State Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, and the entire Command, for the resilience and professionalism brought into policing in Ebonyi State.
On behalf of the Ebonyi people, Umahi wished the outgone Commissioner of Police well in his future endeavours.
He however hinted, "for the information of the general public, that the CP was transferred on account of his elevation by statutory promotion."
He added: "This is against the insinuation in some malevolent quarters alleging that he was punitively transferred.
"It is unfortunate that rather than campaign on issues, people are busy gloating over a well-meaning order and a routine police posting of her personnel. Heads of security agencies in the state have been doing their jobs so well that they are held as a compass for others to follow.
"Their postings are always on promotion and for tougher assignments. They are our proud ambassadors.
"As a government, we remain resolute in protecting the lives and property of our cherished citizens, and no amount of blackmail can deter us.
"It is, however, important that the group and their cohorts be warned that the laws of the State against fake, deceitful and unsubstantiated news are still operational, and will catch up with them if they do not retrace their obnoxious steps.
"The general public is, therefore, encouraged to ignore the frustrated attempts to create undue tension by this hired group and carry on with their lawful endeavours without fear."
