The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to provide university scholarships for the children of the late Elder Onwe Ubochi, who was reportedly killed by unidentified gunmen in the state.
Odii, who expressed sadness over the killing, said the scholarship was aimed at supporting the bereaved family and ensuring that the death of their father did not truncate the educational future of his children.
Elder Ubochi was reportedly killed after he allegedly joined other community elders in endorsing the House of Representatives candidate for the Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency, Barrister Tochukwu Ogalagu.
Reacting to the incident, Odii described the killing as deeply disturbing and called on security agencies to conduct a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
He said the perpetrators, including those who might have planned, sponsored, facilitated or encouraged the crime, should be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“While nothing can replace their father, I want the children to know that they are not alone. I am committing to providing scholarships for his children up to university level. We will stand with the family and support the children in their education,” Odii said.
The PDP candidate also appealed to political parties, community leaders, politicians and other stakeholders to reject violence and work collectively towards protecting lives and preserving peace in Ebonyi State.
According to him, political competition should be based on ideas, policies and programmes rather than intimidation, violence or threats to the lives of citizens.
“The people of Ohaukwu, Ezza South and indeed the entire Ebonyi State deserve peace. No political ambition is worth the life of one citizen,” he said.
Odii urged supporters of different political parties to remain calm and resist attempts to exploit the killing to trigger reprisal attacks, stressing that violence could further deepen the atmosphere of fear and insecurity in affected communities.
He called on the state government to urgently constitute what he described as a high-powered commission of inquiry to investigate the immediate and remote causes of recurring violence and political tension in Ohaukwu and Ezza South Local Government Areas.
Odii said such an inquiry should not be limited to the immediate circumstances surrounding individual incidents but should examine the broader factors responsible for the growing tension and insecurity in the affected communities.
“The recent incidents should not be treated as isolated occurrences without examining the underlying factors responsible for the growing atmosphere of fear, hostility and insecurity,” he said.
He added that the proposed commission should examine previous incidents of violence, alleged threats, political tensions, activities of political actors and other factors that might be contributing to insecurity in the affected areas.
“The government must look beyond the immediate perpetrators of individual incidents and investigate the remote causes of violence. We need to understand what is fuelling these tensions, who benefits from them and what can be done to prevent further loss of lives,” Odii said.
The PDP governorship candidate further called for an independent and credible inquiry capable of making recommendations that would restore confidence and strengthen peace and security in the affected communities.
He also appealed to the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to intensify efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for Ubochi’s death.
“The circumstances surrounding the killing of Elder Onwe Ubochi are deeply disturbing and demand an urgent, thorough and impartial investigation by the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies,” he said.
“The police must fish out those responsible for the murder, including anyone who may have planned, sponsored, facilitated or encouraged the crime, and ensure that all those found culpable are brought to justice.”
Odii maintained that the protection of citizens should remain a fundamental responsibility of government and security agencies, regardless of political affiliation.
He warned that allowing politically motivated violence to persist could undermine citizens’ confidence in democratic participation and discourage people from freely expressing their political choices.
“The life of every Ebonyian is precious, irrespective of political affiliation. We cannot allow our state to degenerate to a point where citizens are afraid to participate in political activities or express their political choices because of fear of violence,” he said.
He therefore urged the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ubochi’s death and ensure that justice was served without fear or favour.
“I therefore call on the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Elder Onwe Ubochi and fish out all those responsible.
“Justice must be done, and nobody, regardless of position or influence, should be allowed to stand in the way of justice,” Odii said.
Odii expressed condolences to the family and community of the deceased, praying for the peaceful repose of Ubochi’s soul.
He said that while the scholarship could not compensate the family for the loss of their father, it would help protect the educational future of his children and demonstrate solidarity with the bereaved family at a difficult moment.
The PDP candidate further urged political leaders and residents of Ebonyi to avoid inflammatory statements and actions capable of escalating tensions, insisting that peaceful political participation remained essential to the survival of democracy.
He called on all stakeholders to work towards creating an environment where citizens could participate in political activities without fear of intimidation, violence or reprisal.
