By Oginyi Ruth
The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Thursday alleged plot by a major opposition party in the state, All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly importing armed thugs into the state to destabilize Saturday’s governorship election.
Umahi made the allegation during a live broadcast to the people of the state at the Exco Chambers Government House, Abakaliki, urging the APC Governorship candidate, Senator Sonni Ogbuorji to step down for him as 26 governorship candidates from other political parties have done.
He said Ogbuorji should withdraw from the race having assisted him to be elected as senator for two terms, and was the APC candidate to support his second term bid as governor.
He appealed to the people of the state to vote en masse for him and all PDP State Assembly candidates in the elections.
Umahi said that the aim of bringing thugs into the state is to destabilize the state and force a cancellation of the elections.
According to him, “I am told that there have been a lot of attempts by a governorship candidate of a party to import thugs. I have somebody in his camp that reports to me every minute after their meeting.
“The strategy is to import thugs and use them to cause violence; use them to move from ward to ward shooting and injuring people so that the election in Ebonyi will be cancelled and according to him, it will be like the Ekiti tsunami by the language they use.”
The governor, however, tasked security agencies and youths to be at alert to apprehend and prosecute anybody caught fomenting trouble within the period.
“I appeal to security agencies and all the youths to demobilize; if possible break their legs and hands, any imported thugs into Ebonyi State. Any imported thug into Ebonyi is here to do just one thing, to kill our people”.
“I urge the youths and the security agencies to demobilize them. if possible break their legs and hands and hand them over to the police. None of them should go scot-free who would have been hired to take lives”.
“I condemn vying for positions through blood. I condemn violence irrespective of party affiliation. I urge the security agencies to deal decisively with anybody that is found violating especially bringing thugs into Ebonyi State.
“There must be no undue cancellation of polling units, wards results because that is their strategy. And I want to say that my confidence is in the Lord and God will frustrate every devices of the kingdom of darkness”, Umahi added.
