April polls: Senator raises alarm over importation of arms in Ebonyi
By PETER OKUTU
Senator Emmanuel Owne has raised an alarm over the unprecedented manner in which arms and ammunition were being imported into Ebonyi State by some desperate politicians who want to acquire political power at all cost during April general election.
The senator, who is currently seeking another term at the National Assembly to represent Ebonyi Central senatorial district, on the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, pointed out that if the recent trend was not checked, it could result in different shades of political violence in the weeks ahead.
Owne made the disclosure, weekend, while commissioning one of his campaign offices at Ezillo, in Ishielu local government area of the state.
He said: “Individuals who got excessive money, a kind of largesse given to them; they have to procure arms and weapons to prosecute their political objectives. And that is very dangerous.
“Again, that is why I call on the Police and the governor, who is the chief security officer of the state, to rise up to their responsibility in order for the crisis that is coming to be averted, because this election is going to be impossible to rig.”
“Yes, that information has been speculating for quite a while. I believe that the State Security Service, SSS, would step into that very vigorously to investigate.
“For the police, they have to make sure they provide safe and secure environment for politicians and people to operate. The second responsibility rests on the government of Ebonyi State and the governor. He has a primary responsibility to ensure that peace is kept, peace is maintained.
“I believe that the police is not living up to its responsibility and certainly the government has become, should I say, catalyst of violence. And that has to end. The government has to rise up to its responsibility by keeping the people of Ebonyi State safe and secured.”
Continuing, Onwe, said “contrary to the believe in some quarters that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was firmly rooted in the state, PDP is now a shell of itself; PDP is a skeleton of what it used to be. And all that is making this noise is the skeleton of PDP rattling.
“So anyone that is telling you that PDP is firmly rooted in Ebonyi is telling you a massive lie. It is not true. From the significant individuals who have left PDP, you realize that PDP is left with one tool and that is propaganda. This is why you do not see their presence at the centre of grass root mobilization. That’s the fact.”
Senator Onwe, who had been campaigning in various wards and local government areas in the state, noted that employment of young people, given out of scholarships to students, rural development, rural electrification, and provision of water to his constituent would form the crux of his constituency projects if elected as senator during the elections.
