- * As PDP Elders, Party Leaders Meet On Proposed Party Congress In October
By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief)
Major Political stakeholders and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elders and leaders in Ebonyi State met at the weekend in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, and warned about the general insecurity which, they said, had pervaded the state in recent times.
They, specifically, raised the alarm about what they observed as the unmonitored arms proliferation in the state, coupled with alleged political intolerance on the part of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Ebonyi
The PDP elders and other key stakeholders also deliberated on the forthcoming congresses of the party scheduled for October this year.
The stakeholders pointed out that the weekend meeting was necessary "in the project of building a peaceful, inclusive and prosperous Ebonyi State". It also stated that these developments in the state were capable of adversely affecting the well-being and future of Ebonyi.
Among the over 38-member prominent stakeholders that attended the Abakaliki meeting on Saturday, however, were PDP elders and leaders like Senator Anyim Pius Anyim (former Nigeria's Senate President and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF), Senator Sam Ominyi Egwu (first executive governor of Ebonyi state and Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District) and Senator Obinna Ogba (former Ebonyi State PDP Chairman and Senator representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial District), among many others including all the senators and House of Reps members and PDP State Assembly members and leading party stalwarts in the state.
The meeting however provided an opportunity for both the former governorship candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Ebonyi State in the 2019 general elections and the party's state chairman and other state chairmen of opposition parties in Ebonyi state to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking on the alleged issue of insecurity and influx of arms and political intolerance in Ebonyi state, the stakeholders warned that there is an urgent need for the state authorities to take a pro-active step to halt the ominous trend in the interest of the general safety of the state and the citizens and a peaceful political atmosphere in Ebonyi.
They also reminded the gathering, how, a couple of months ago, the Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, personally petitioned against the Ebonyi State PDP Stakeholders to the authorities of Nigeria's prime security agencies like the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of State Security Services (DSS), the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Presidency, accusing them "falsely" of sponsoring cultists, pro-Biafra ESN members, and other undesirable elements, to unleash attacks on security personnel in the state and carry out arson on public buildings, etc.
The stakeholders said "Although we recognize Governor Umahi’s penchant for mischief, yet we deem it below the acceptable behavior of a chief executive of a State to be the purveyor of wild and vile allegations against leaders of a political party who God used to make him Governor in the first place. Never in the history of our dear State, not in any other state in Nigeria, has a sitting Governor deemed it necessary to hand-deliver a petition riddled with falsehood to heads of security agencies, against his own people. But this is Ebonyi State for you today".
However, the stakeholders lamented that "It is this political intolerance and mindless desire to suppress all dissenting opinions in the state which has resulted in the proliferation of arms, intra communal clashes and general insecurity in our dear Ebonyi State, that we wish to address in this Press briefing".
Tracing the genesis of the PDP stakeholder's problems with governor Umahi, they claimed it was the alleged refusal of the Party members to decamp with the governor to the APC that became the bone of contention.
"Otherwise, we recall that before the Governor defected to the APC, the people Governor Umahi are witch-hunting today were recognized as the leaders of the state. However, today our elder statesmen and leaders in the PDP in Ebonyi State have suddenly been tagged “trouble makers”, sponsors of cultists and terrorists, etc.
"Thus, Governor Umahi, who a month before he defected, publicly stated that anybody who left PDP for the APC needed psychiatric evaluation, has himself defected to the APC, and appears to be in dire need of psychiatric assistance in the management of a political situation he created for himself", the PDP leaders said.
However, accusing governor Umahi of a deliberate sponsor of violence and intra communal crisis in Ebonyi, the stakeholders argued that "Although Governor Umahi mischievously accused Ebonyi PDP stakeholders of sponsoring violence in the State, yet it is very clear to Ebonyi people that only the State Government possesses the capacity to unleash the mayhem and generalized insecurity that has bedeviled the state in recent times. It is instructive to point out that since its inception in 2015, violence against the Ebonyi people has remained the hallmark of the Umahi administration.
"This started quite early with the creation of a so-called Ekubaraoha Youth Assembly (EYA), which is a space of about six years has left an indelible footprint of blood, tears, and sorrows in Ebonyi State. In pursuit of the confessed “Koboko” policies of Governor Umahi, EYA has been credited with the following attacks on journalists and other Ebonyians".
Cataloging a diary of these alleged cases of violence and attacks in the state, however, the stakeholders claimed as follows, that:
(i) On May 28th, 2017, an attack by EYA operatives at a book launch was allegedly organized by a priest, Rev. George Ume, at the Women Development Centre, Abakaliki.
(ii) That on May 30th, 2017, there was an attack by EYA operatives at the defunct Diamond Bank premises Abakaliki (now Access Bank). In the ensuing attack by EYA, a pregnant female journalist was allegedly severely beaten up and her equipment confiscated for daring to cover the assault on the bewildered customers of the bank.
(iii) The well-documented abduction and torture of a journalist, Charles Otu, at Vanco Junction Abakaliki on the 2nd of June, 2017 by EYA operatives.
(iv) The June 2nd, 2017 shooting of another journalist, Samuel Ovuoba, a publisher and journalist at Ebonyi State University.
(v) The infamous March 18, 2018 abduction and attempted murder of social critic, Nwoba Chika Nwoba, at his home in Abakaliki.
(vi) And the more recent case of Prince Anyigor Methuselah who was allegedly abducted by the agents of the State Government and tortured for days in a government-run dungeon and many more.
The PDP stakeholders, therefore, stated that "it is also important to point out that the Ebonyi State Government has deliberately, for political gain, the instigated crisis in many town union organizations across the state. Town Union Presidents have been deposed by the State Government in Unwana, Ishiagu, Ishielu, etc. It is on record that the crises that ensued have claimed many lives.
"More recently, and with the creation of the Ebubeagu Security outfit, and the concomitant need to arm them with pump action guns and other automatic weapons, occasional boundary disputes have now transmuted into very dangerous armed conflicts, often spearheaded by known agents of the Ebonyi State Government. The recent Izzi-Ikwo and Ezza-Effium conflicts with deadly consequences to lives and properties of peace-loving Ebonyi people, easily come to mind.
"We make bold to state that we have abundant pictorial and audio evidence, that the procurement and distribution of pump-action and other automatic weapons have become a policy backed by Executive action in Ebonyi State. With the creation of the Ebubeagu Security outfit in the State, the possession and open display of firearms by street urchins have become commonplace. What is most worrisome about the Ebonyi variant of Ebubeagu is that the recruitment, deployment, and rules of engagement, including their command structure, are shrouded in secrecy.
"It is difficult, therefore, to hold them accountable for their crimes. However, what is more, dangerous is the fact that since they operate in mufti, it is difficult to separate their activities from that of unknown gunmen and other criminals. This must be particularly challenging for our security agencies whose constitutional duty is the protection of lives and property of ordinary citizens.
Finally, we are alarmed to report that it has come to our knowledge that the Ebonyi State Government has covertly established special detention centers in the state, where kidnapped political opponents are kept and tortured in the name of “interrogation”. The recent case of journalist Prince Anyigor Methuselah easily comes to mind. As confessed by Prince Anyigor himself, he was abducted by the Ebonyi State Government agents, kept in an underground detention facility, and forced against his will to type and send messages with his phone supposedly professing support for the State Government.
"Worthy of mention also is the kidnap and torture of Barr. Amos Ogbonna by agents of Ebonyi State Government. Barr Ogbonna, who has been lying critically ill in the hospital until recently, escaped being buried alive in a hurriedly dug shallow grave by special divine intervention. He is now using crutches and is scheduled for more surgeries soon, even as he continues to frequent the hospital for regular check-ups and medication.
"The cases of kidnap and murder all over Ebonyi State are legion. Rather than protect its citizens, the Ebonyi State Government is known for eating its own children. In other to cover his tracks, Governor Umahi remains in denial and continues to peddle atrociously false petitions against PDP leaders".
THEREFORE, the PDP called on the security agencies in the country to investigate the alleged secret detention centers set up by the Ebonyi State Government and "release the dying occupants immediately to re-join their families and loved ones.
"We also call on the relevant security agencies to investigate the following crimes: (i) Attempted murder of Barr. Amos Ogbonna (ii) Murder of Mr. Chukwudi Daniel (iii) Murder of Mr. Onu Francis (iv) Murder of Mr. Kelechi Nwozaku (v) Forgery of Ebonyi Police Command press release by an agent of the state government called Engr. Damian Okafor and (vi) The forgery of Arise TV video clip involving Senator Obinna Ogba by a staff of the Ebonyi State Government". NNL.
