By Eucharia Idenyi (Ebonyi State Correspondent)
Former Governor of Ebonyi state, Senator Sam Ominyi Egwu, has denied any involvement in the alleged plans by some political leaders in the state to precipitate violence and chaos in Ebonyi.
Egwu who is the incumbent Senator representing Ebonyi North on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Senate, also asked the security agencies to arrest him if there is proof that he is conniving with some yet to be named leaders to mastermind or forment violence in the state.
Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, had, in a statewide broadcast on Friday November 27, 2020, announced that security report he received indicates that some political leaders in Ebonyi State were planning to instigate crisis in in the state with the aid of cultists and an outlawed secessionist group, apparently pro-Biafra group, IPOB.
Egwu, in a telephone interview on Saturday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said such allegation should be investigated properly by security agencies. "They should investigate and arrest me if it is proven that I discussed with anyone or attended a meeting where the issue of instigating violence in the state was discussed. I am speaking for myself and if it cannot be proven that I discussed or attended such meeting, they cannot do anything to me,” he said.
The former Minister of Education also said that he was not a violent politician and was not a violent person even before venturing into politics. “The governor as the chief security officer of the state should seek the full details of the report from his informant and he knows what to do subsequently.
"I have been a governor of Ebonyi and wonder why I should connive with people to cause violence in a state I have governed. I don’t have such character and anyone who has evidence against me on such issue should prove it,” he said.
Egwu however stated that Ebonyi State had been, and will continue to be, a peaceful state as a governor’s defection to another political party should not be a problem. “Anyone is free to move to a party of his/her choice and it is not a crime that we belong to different parties.
“The governor should feel free to confront any of us when he hears and sees anything of sort such issues. He is the state governor and anyone he seeks an audience with will answer him,” he said.
According to NAN reports, political tension has heightened in Ebonyi State since governor Umahi’s defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with resentment and bickering pervading the environment. (with Additional reports from NAN). NNL.
