The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, of unleashing terror on innocent Nigerians, particularly opposition members and other dissenting voices in the state.
This is as it demanded the immediate release of the party’s spokesperson in the state, Nwoba Nwoba, who on Wednesday was arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Abakaliki for allegedly publishing materials on his Facebook against the member representing Ikwo/Ezza South federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Chinedu Ogah.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this in a statement he signed late Sunday, titled ‘PDP Accuses Gov. Umahi of Unleashing Terror on Opposition in Ebonyi State.’
Olugunagba said, “The PDP is alarmed by reports that Governor Umahi is using a heavily armed killer squad, currently disguised under the “Ebube Agu” security outfit, as a political weapon to arrest, attack and inflict grievous bodily harm on Nigerians and particularly PDP members in Ebonyi State.
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“Since Governor Umahi made the error in his devastating adventure of moving from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress where he is unrecognised and frustrated, he has reportedly resorted to terrorising innocent Nigerians, especially PDP members in a desperate bid to create fear, panic and siege mentality on citizens of Ebonyi State as a prelude to rigging the 2023 general elections.
“The PDP invites Nigerians to note how Governor Umahi instigated the illegal arrest of the Ebonyi State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Nwoba Nwoba, and kept him in detention without justification on the strength of a draconian law that did not pass through the established due process of lawmaking.”
Referencing a prominent member of the PDP and former member of the House of Representatives, Linus Okorie, who was declared wanted by Umahi without any charges, the PDP said it “vehemently rejects such violation of Fundamental Human Rights going on in Ebonyi State and calls on Nigerians to hold Governor Umahi and the APC responsible for acts of violence and terrorism in Ebony State.”
The Party also called for the immediate and unconditional release of “our State Publicity Secretary in Ebonyi State as well as other innocent Nigerians reportedly detained in various facilities in the State.”
It urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), the National Security Adviser and the Police High Command to immediately step into the situation “because any breakdown of law and order in Ebonyi State will have a ripple effect on the fragile security situation in the South-East.”
The PDP said Governor Umahi must learn to “live with the consequences of his political suicide by joining the APC and should not vent his frustration on other Nigerians.”
But earlier, Umahi, through his special assistant on Media and Publicity Francis Nwaze, debunked the allegations.
According to him, “The People’s Democratic Party in Ebonyi State should make efforts to first, find the location of its Secretariat without involving the focused administration of Governor David Umahi, that is if it has a Secretariat.”
Source: Punch