… allegations against Ebubeagu is malicious – Ebonyi Govt

… political situation in Ebonyi has moved from bad to worse – PDP Campaign Council 

…we condemn attack on APGA Governorship candidate – APGA Senatorial Candidate for Ebonyi South

By Peter Okutu

Abakaliki -A group known as Volunteer, NGOs and support Groups of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Governorship Campaign Council, Ebonyi State, weekend urged the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Usman Baba, and the Director General of the Department of Security Services, DSS and other security agencies to call the Ebonyi State Government to order as it concerned the incessant attacks on All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, supporters and other opposition political parties in the State.

The leader of the group, Hon. (Prince) Darlington Peter Onwe accused the Governor David Umahi-led administration of using violent attacks and all forms of manipulative political and security gimmicks to frustrate the political campaigns of the opposition political parties adding that “this is highly worrisome as it’s nothing but an invitation to anarchy, blood-birth and breakdown of law and order, if nothing is done urgently.”

In a statement titled “INVITATION TO STATE OF ANARCHY AND BLOOD-BIRTH IN EBONYI BY EBONYI STATE GOVERNMENT

UNDER GOVERNOR UMAHI: AN OPEN PETITION TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND OTHER SECURITY AGENCIES OVER A CALCULATED ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS OF THE PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND OTHER OPPOSITION PARTIES.” Onwe further alleged that the attack on the convoy of Prof. Ifeanyichukwu Odo, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in the state was carried out by members of the Ebubeagu Security outfit in the State.

According to the statement: “Against this backdrop, it is no doubt that the Ebonyi State government under the supervision of Engr David Umahi, the outgoing Governor and his godson stooge which he is imposing on the state as his successor are recklessly using several guise, including state forces to resist, frustrate and disrupt political campaigns of opposition parties, including but not limited to using violent attacks and all forms of manipulative political and security gimmicks.

“Just yesterday, the 2nd

Day of February, 2023, the convoy of Prof. Ifeanyichukwu Odo, one of the gubernatorial candidates of an

opposition party in the state was attacked by heavily armed gunmen suspected to be members of

Ebubeagu, an armed militia forces established by the government of Ebonyi State for hounding and

vilifying members of opposition parties or interest groups. 

“In the cause of this attack, the driver to Prof. Odo was shot dead instantly, his prado jeep and security vehicle burnt to ashes, while several others were left with varying degrees of bullet wounds. This is highly condemnable, atavistic and the heights of cruelty

of any government or leader.

“Therefore, the inspector General of police, the Director General of the Department of State Security

Service and other security agencies should take note and call the Ebonyi State government and their

militia forces under Mr. Umahi, the outgoing Governor of Ebonyi State to order before it’s too late. 

“This is because if this unnecessary provocation continues, our volunteers and supporters will be left with no option than to meet every actions with equal and opposite reaction; this is because responsibility is laid on every living thing to survive, and this survival also entails self protection against harm.”

Reacting, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ebonyi State, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji denied the involvement of Ebubeagu security outfit in the attack meted out on the APGA Governorship candidate, Prof. Benard Odoh in the State.

At a joint press conference between the Hon. Commissioner for Information and State Orientation Ebonyi State/ Director of Information Directorate, Divine Mandate APC Campaign Council, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji and the State APC Chairman/State Security Consultant, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, the duo described the allegations against the State Government over the attack on Odoh as false and malicious.

 They added that APGA was “an assemblage of the most fraudulent traitors and political jobbers in the State.”

On the attack on the APGA Governorship candidate, Abia Onyike, Director, Media & Publicity,

PDP Governorship Campaign Council explained that the political situation in Ebonyi state has degenerated from bad to worse as  Gov. David Umahi has refused to listen to the voice of reason.

In a press statement titled “UMAHI HAS DECLARED WAR ON EBONYIANS: AN EMERGENCY ACTION IS NEEDED NOW TO STOP A BLOOD-BATH”,  Onyike alleged that Ebubeagu has continued to attack prominent citizens of the state who are members of opposition political parties.

He said: “We hereby unequivocally condemn in very strong terms the latest attack on Sen. Sam Ominyi Egwu( Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District), who went for a PDP rally yesterday to address his constituents in the private residence of Senator Sylvania Ngiji Ngele in Amagu, Abakaliki Local Government Area.

“The road to Sen. Ngele’s house was suddenly blocked by EbubeAgu Security, Gov. Umahi’s militia group which he uses to do dirty political jobs in the state. Later in the night, the EbubeAgu chaps returned to Sen. Ngele’s house and started shooting sporadically with their AK-47 and pump actions assault riffles.

“We also regret to recall that on Wednesday, 1st February, 2023, Dr. Sam Egwu successfully held a rally at Obegu Abba in Ebonyi LGA. At the end of the rally, Sen. Egwu left the venue only for gun men to invade the home of the PDP Chairman in the Council area, Mr. Michael Nwebonyi. They started shooting intensively for more than twenty minutes. Properties were vandalized and several people were wounded as they scampered for safety while others ran into the bush.

“Two days ago, the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof Odo was ambushed at Okpoto by Umahi’s militia where his convoy was subjected to a volley of bullets. Prof. Odo luckily escaped unhurt. But his driver was instantly murdered, his backup vehicles were set ablaze.

The spate of politically-motivated killings in Ebonyi has become unbelievable. 

In order to stop the Governorship ambition of a son of the soil, the desperados are believed to be behind the spate of killings and disappearances in Isu, Onicha LGA where over 6 persons including the body guard of the Governorship candidate were killed, in order to stop the Governorship aspiration. What a horrible scenerio.”

Meanwhile, the APGA Senatorial Candidate for Ebonyi South senatorial district of Ebonyi State, Sir Ifeanyi Eleje, has condemned the attack on Prof. Benard Odoh, the APGA governorship candidate for Ebonyi state and described it as heinous. 

According to the APGA Chieftain, “I am shocked to learn of the brazen attack on the convoy of Prof. Ben Odoh, the All Progressives Congress Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship candidate for Ebonyi State on Thursday, February 2, 2023. 

“The attacked which was carried out by gunmen suspected to be Ebubeagu Security operatives and who fired bullets with aim of killing Prof Odoh resulted in the death of his driver and severe injuries on his escorts.”

He said that this is one attack too many being perpetrated by anti-democratic forces in Ebonyi state under the Umahi-led administration using the instrumentality of Ebubeagu Security operatives. 

He, therefore, appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, and other heads of security agencies including the President and C-in-C, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the NSA, the DG, DSS, and the DG, NIA , the NBA, INEC and the International community to give the undemocratic practices in Ebonyi State deserved attention. 

Eleje, the APGA senate candidate for Ebonyi South, has for sometime now been operating from outside Ebonyi state.