Suspected hoodlums have destroyed the campaign billboards of Professor Bernard Odoh, Ebonyi State All Progressives Grand Alliance Governorship Candidate.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Prof. Odoh accused the state government of being behind the destruction of the campaign billboards.
Odoh described Umahi as a coward, who is frightened by the growing popularity and acceptability of APGA by Ebonyians, “hence his resorting to all evil means to intimidate the opposition and foist his unpopular All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, on the people.”
According to him, “no form of intimidation by his thugs, especially Ebubeagu, will deter the people from voting APGA to reposition Ebonyi state for better development.”
He said: “Series of events in the last couple of days in Ebonyi State have left sour tastes in the mouth of many Nigerians, who have followed, with daze, the limitless intimidations, harassments and attacks on opposition elements and as habitual, the denials cum reactions emanating from the government of Engr. David Nweze Umahi.
“Ebonyians woke up Monday, August 22, 2022 to discover that billboards belonging to the leading Governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections, Professor Benard Ifeanyi Odoh bearing his image and that of his Deputy, Dr. Nkata Chukwu in the Abakaliki capital city and some other parts of the State have been removed in the locations where they had been strategically placed.
“We would sadly recall that the last couple of days have witnessed increased attacks on opposition elements even within the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and indeed, all those whom the State government considers ‘potential threats’ to their game of wits and desperate plot to foist an utterly ‘unpopular candidate’ on the people of Ebonyi State.
“Since the public pronouncement of the said ‘candidate’, many members of the old APC, including serving appointees have since developed cold feet; leaving the party in a suspense and limbo as to those who may eventually fly the party’s flags in the 2023 general elections.
“Just last weekend, the media was again awash with reports alleging an attack by men of the State’s Security outfit- Ebubeagu on women’s August meeting, which had been billed to take place at the People’s Club Abakaliki, a property owned by a private business individual.
“It was alleged that following sustained gunshots inside the said venue by the supposed security outfit, some of the women were injured as they were forced out of the venue.
“The real motive of the desperate Umahi government and his agents as alleged is widely known to the world; to perhaps cause and instill fear on peaceful and peace-loving Ebonyians so that the fear would deter them from campaigning and performing their civic responsibilities in the 2023 general elections.”
