NATIONAL PANEL REPORTERS
The Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP in Ebonyi has asked Governor David Umahi's led government to withdraw every order which stands as a hindrance to the democratic process towards the 2023 general elections in the state.
The members of the CUPP through their Chairman, Chinedu Elekwachi, made the request on Thursday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State Capital in a Press Conference.
Ebonyi CUPP Chairman, Chinedum Elekwachi.
Elekwachi said his members have noted with concern the alleged continuous abuse and unprovoked attacks on opposition political parties and the employment of illegal executive orders by the state government to frustrate the 2023 general elections in Ebonyi state under the leadership of Governor Umahi.
He pointed out the cases of the dethronement of the traditional ruler of the Ukawu community in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State "His Royal Highness Japhet Ikegwu because he received the State Governorship Candidate of APGA on a courtesy call."
He described as undemocratic, "the proclamation of December 31, 2022, as the deadline by Governor Umahi for allowing posters of the opposition Political Parties in the state.
The CUPP Chairman while condemning the comment made by the State Chairman of the Traditional Rulers' Council HRH Charles Mkpuma on Wednesday 28th December 2022 during the Senatorial Flag-off-off Campaign Council, described it as an embarrassment to not only Ebonyi people but the Igbo traditional institution, both in Nigeria and beyond.
Recall that Eze Mkpuma had placed a death curse on the opponents of Governor Umahi's Senatorial mission in 2023, maintaining that his possible dissenters would not live to celebrate the 2024 Christmas.
In condemning Eze what the group described as financially induced pronunciation, the CUPP Chairman also condemned "the avoidable riot which occurred on Monday 26th December 2022, and claimed innocent lives including that of a policeman in Ekoli Edda community in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The CUPP leadership upheld that "the destructive clashes were caused by a physical feud between the House Of Representatives Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Eni Uduma Chima and the State Chairman of the APC who doubles as the Security Consultant of the Ebubeagu Security outfit in the state."
In the words of the State CUPP Boss, "the attack on the members and supporters of the APGA (All Progressives Grand Alliance) in Ugwulangwu on 24th December 2022 by
identified thugs loyal to the APC were led by the Development Centre Coordinator of Ohaozara East."
He declared that the incidents that happened in Ebonyi under the watch of Governor David Umahi were against the ethos of constitutional democracy and have degenerated threats to a peaceful election in Ebonyi come 2023.
"Imagine where a traditional ruler sitting on a sacred stool is disgraced out of office because he received a candidate from the opposition party.
"Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP has severally condemned this and maintains that there's no justification whatsoever for that.
"We are also worried that the state government is bent on stopping opposition Political Parties from pasting campaign posters and billboards by trying to enforce an obnoxious and discarded law made in 2008 which Governor Umahi himself has observed more in the breach than compliance. He has never had recourse to the moribund law when he campaigned both in 2015 and 2019."
The coalition of the political parties alleged that "it is deceitful and laughable for the state government to have claimed to have fined the APC a sum of five million Naira (N5,000,00.00) only for pasting posters and billboards in what the government referred to as state infrastructure when the APC alone has more than two hundred billboard stands in Abakaliki."
They insisted that "it is a gimmick to hoodwink people in grandstanding the operation of the malicious regulation of the state government. If there is any law/Regulation to law, the enforcement should be with effect from the date of commencement of the law and must not be selective.
"Governor Umahi mounted over 4000 political campaign billboards in Ebonyi State in 2015 and 2019 and never sought any approval and never paid any fee to the government.
"Since it is settled that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands, Umahi should purge himself of his innumerable cases of non -compliance with the so-called outdoor advertisement regulation in the State by paying the arrears of approval fees before asking anyone to pay.
"CUPP Ebonyi state again condemns the restrictions placed by the Governor of Ebonyi State through Executive Order Number 3. Of 2022 on public gatherings and use of public spaces for Campaigns. Such a ban is tantamount to an ambush on the democratic process and a deliberate attempt to frustrate the peaceful conduct of the 2023 general election in Ebonyi state.
"While he is clamping down on other political parties in this respect he has continued to sustain and defend his conversion of the State's Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre as. APC State Secretariat.
"This this hypocritical and unacceptable and a clear contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
"The operation of section 1(3) of the 1999 CFRN(as amended) does permit that rights expressly conferred on Ebonyi people by both the Nigerian constitution and Electoral Act 2022 be taken away or encumbered via a malicious Executive order. Governor Umahi is hereby advised to respect the Nigerian constitution which he swore to protect by immediately withdrawing and reversing his offensive, vexatious, undemocratic and provocative Executive Orders.
"Governor Umahi is once more reminded that his body language as the father of state now should be all-embracing, peaceful and disposed to high-level political tolerance. He must ensure that free space is provided for all the political parties in the state. While flagging off his senatorial campaign Umahi informed the whole world that he will take the Ebonyi Senatorial seat "by force."
"Even the chairman of the State council traditional rulers HRH Eze Charles Mkpuma issued a threat to Ebonyians that whoever does not support the Senatorial bid of the Governor will not leave to see the next Christmas. It is not proper for a first traditional ruler of the status of the South East chairman of Traditional Rulers to be dragged into the mucky waters of politics.
"This is unbecoming of personalities their standing in the State as such statements are inflammatory and capable of leading to break down of law and order. We call on Governor Umahi and HRH Charles Mkpuma to individually retract their statements in the interest of democracy in the State."
