Despite the appeals by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police for peaceful campaigns, violence has marred electioneering in Ebonyi state as opposition politicians have been allegedly attacked, leading to tension ahead of the 2023 general elections. PAUL OKAH takes a look at the unfolding events.
There is palpable tension in Ebonyi state as a result of the intimidation, harassment and physical attacks on opposition politicians and their supporters, allegedly by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 general elections.
While the governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, is interested in representing Ebonyi South in the Senate come 2023, as candidate of the APC, he is also campaigning for the speaker of the state house of assembly, Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, to take over from him as governor next year.
The governor’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in November 2020, alongside some of his supporters and cabinet members, has been attracting opposition as the state has always enjoyed supporting the PDP.
On a daily basis, allegations are flying right, left, centre against the governor as he is perceived to be using the power of incumbency to intimidate his opponents and he has not been doing much to correct negative impressions about him by the people, except to sanction more controversies.
While the Ebuabeagu security outfit, a creation of the governor, is expected to tackle insecurity in the state, the common allegation by many is that the security outfit is being used by the governor to witch-hunt, arrest, torture and, in extreme cases, kill supposed opponents and harmless citizens of the state.
Even officers of the Nigeria Police Force and other security operatives are allegedly aiding the governor to clamp down on opposition in the state, hence the common demand by many residents and stakeholders for the Commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu Garba, to be redeployed with immediate effect.
Okorie’s abduction
On October 16, former two-term member of the House of Representatives Labour Party Senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South in the 2023 general elections, Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie, was allegedly kidnapped by Ebubeagu operatives in Ebonyi State.
According to a statement on October 16, signed by Dr. David Ogbonna, for Linus Okorie CaringHeart Foundation, the Senatorial candidate, was severely tortured to a near-death situation, made naked and pictures of him taken by his abductors.
The statement read: “Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie was kidnapped early this morning on his way to his house in Abakaliki by gunmen known to be men of the Ebubeagu Security outfit allegedly sent by the Onicha local government chairman.
“The available information confirms that he’d been severely tortured to a near-death situation, made naked and pictures of him taken by his abductors. The information available as at this moment confirms that their end-point motive is to torture him to death and dump his body at Ebonyi River.”
Following public outcry, despite denial by Ebubeagu commander, Mr. Friday Ujor, that Okorie was abducted and tortured by the security outfit, the Ebonyi state Police Command, in a hasty statement by its Public Relations Officer, SP Chris Anyawu, on October 17, said that Okorie was ‘arrested’ and not ‘abducted’ by Ebubeagu and handed over to them for investigation on drug-related case; seemingly proving that Ebubeagu has taken over the jobs of the police, while the police took over the functions of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The police spokesman also seemingly indicted the command in the statement by stating, among other things, tht Okorie was arrested for criticizing Umahi on social media and inciting residents against the governor and refusing to honour several invitations by the police.
Nevertheless, following pressures, on October 18, the police hastily arraigned Okorie before a magistrate court in Abakaliki, on a five-count charges bordering on murder, felony and incitement of the public against the Governor, but the court said it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case and remanded Okorie in custodial centre till November 4.
Attacks on Odoh, others
Alarmingly, on October 20, while Ebonyians were trying to come to terms with the politically motivated trial of Okorie, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi state, Prof. Benard Ifeanyi Odoh, escaped assassination attempt on him, alongside his campaign team, during a visit to Izzi local government area of Ebonyi state.
A live video made by a public health practitioner and a member of Odoh’s campaign team, Dr Lz Ude Eze, showed their convoy being attacked by youths in the area, while he was driving, with the glass of one of the cars shattered and sounds of gunshot renting the air.
Addressing newsmen Abakaliki later in the day, Odoh, a former Secretary to the State Government, alleged that the state government detailed Ebubeagu security outfit to attack his convoy at Izzi LGA, despite security operatives in his convoy.
He said, “As early as 6 O’clock this morning, I started getting distress calls. Our coordinator called and said the chairman of the local government called and warned him that no visit should take place in his local government, and he’s under pressure from the government. The DPO also called, raised a similar alert that he’s under enormous pressure, that we should not come. I am the candidate of APGA in Ebonyi, Professor Benard Odoh, is my name, I am in this race to govern the whole local governments in the state.
“Therefore, if I cannot go to Izzi, then, I am not qualified to run for the election. That is why I had to go to Izzi, defied all their orders and threats to go to the place. We were confronted by the Ebubeagu team. They shot at one of our cars. You can see the glass shattered. We went there with official security men, the police and DSS operatives and our campaign team. They have taken the war directly on us and we want the world to know what is happening in Ebonyi.
“We are not cowards. We are not fools. Nobody can force anyone on anybody in Ebonyi. The people have the right to make a choice of who becomes their leader. This is not how to run democracy; we have the right to reach out to our people. I have a local government; we have Ezza North, Ezza Ezza South, Ishielu, and Ikwo. Will Nwifuru (APC governorship candidate) come there to campaign with this kind of behaviour?
“We are putting this out to the public; let them be aware that this is what has happened today. Thank God nobody was injured, but one of our cars was shattered with bullets. We met our people, although they locked our office, but we met our supporters and addressed them outside our office. There are video clips where they shot our car. We are going right now to make an official complaint to the police.”
