Ebonyi Community Seeks Buhari, IGP’s Intervention over Threat to PDP Gubernatorial Candidate’s Life

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

Leaders of Isuokom in Ebonyi State have asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba to intervene in the alleged threat to the life of a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Odii, allegedly by agents of the state government.

 In a petition made available to newsmen in Enugu, yesterday, the leaders accused the governor of the state, Dave Umahi of demonstrating ‘hatred and animosity against Odii, who hails from Isuokom, following his aspiration and subsequent nomination as the PDP gubernatorial standard bearer in Ebonyi State.

The petition was jointly signed by President-General of Isuokoma, John Njoku, youth leader, Sunday Igne and diaspora leader, Tony Anoke among other leaders of the community.

In the petition, the people alleged that Umahi’s recent outburst against security chiefs and agencies and threat to block and attack the convoys of opposition candidates in the State was clearly targeted at Odii.

 They said they were worried by the persistent unveiled verbal attacks and threats to the life of Odii by Umahi whom they also alleged had glaringly demonstrated hatred against Odii.

“We had ignored and taken with a pinch of salt the unprovoked dehumanising jibes aimed at Odii by Umahi,” they said.

“We continually dismissed Governor Umahi’s aspersions on the personality of Odii as the ranting and whining of an uncomfortable player in a tough contest”.

They claimed that Umahi formed the Ebubeagu as a political tool to cow opposition to submission to perpetuate his ‘unpopular political influence in Ebonyi State.

 They noted that Odii was undeserving of the treatment meted against him by the governor whom he supported during the 2015 and 2019 elections, adding that the Nigerian constitution gives every eligible citizen of Nigeria the opportunity for political participation.