From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The people of Isuokoma community in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have cautioned the state government over the series of attacks allegedly targeted at the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Odii.
The community alleged that the state government was issuing life-threatening statements against Odii and commanding security chiefs in the state to withdraw security details attached to the PDP standard-bearer.
Reacting, Ebonyi State government officials dismissed the alarm, describing it as the antics of the opposition.
The community made their position known in a statement jointly issued by John Nnanna Njoku, president-general, Sunday Igne, youth president of Isuokoma, Tony Anoke, diaspora leader, Augustine Okoro, coordinator, West Africa, and Obasi Onu, Abakaliki branch chairman of Isuokoma.
The community called on President Muhammadu Buhari and security chiefs to urgently see to the protection of Odii and the entire community.
Isuokoma people said: “There is no doubt that the recent outburst of Governor David Umahi against security chiefs and agencies in Ebonyi State, in which he threatened to block and attack the convoys of opposition candidates in the state, was clearly targeted at our son, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii.
“We are aware that Engr. Umahi has, in his characteristic uncivil manner, commanded the security agencies in the state to withdraw the security personnel attached to opposition candidates. We see this as the governor’s desperate attempt to clear his way to have an easy ride against our son, Odii.”
According to them, this latest show of acrimony has jolted them to consciousness, to give the governor’s machination and seeming treachery the deserved serious attention, consideration and publicity.
For them, the attacks on opposition candidates, smack of political desperation, hypocrisy and jealousy.
Continuing, they said: “We have never negotiated and do not intend to negotiate with Governor Umahi to support Chief Odii’s governorship ambition.
“Engr. Umahi is free to constitutionally pursue his political ambition and support any candidate of his choice within the ambit of the law. He should, therefore, allow Dr. Odii to legitimately pursue his political ambition. Enough of this hatred! We can no longer condone it.
“We cannot keep quiet to allow Governor Umahi to destroy our illustrious son, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, who is the leading candidate in the 2023 governorship race in Ebonyi State. This is a desperate attempt to consign Isuokoma to the political waste bin.
“We, therefore, call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director General of State Security Services, Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Director of State Security and other security agencies to speedily come to our rescue to save High Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii and the entire people of Isuokoma from the destructive tendencies of Governor David Nweze Umahi. We have lived in fear for too long; the fear of Governor Umahi and his political bulldogs!